Ex opponent hits out at Leeds United boss.
Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa has won widespread praise in the media for his ‘fair play’ against Aston Villa.
Bielsa instructed his side to allow Villa to score as recompense for Leeds scoring a goal while an opponent was injured.
Not everybody is fawning over Bielsa however.
Former opponent Jose Luis Chilavert was not happy.
The Paraguay goalkeeping legend hit out on Twitter.
He was angry that Bielsa practiced fair play, but did not do so in his view at another juncture in his career.
He wrote: “Loco Bielsa teaches Fair Play in England, and why did he allow Pochettino’s goal with his hand against Paraguay, in Asunción, with the Argentine National Team?”, before adding: “No more lies in football.”
Chilavert was referring to a goal back in 2001, where Argentina knocked out Paraguay in the World Cup play-offs.
Argentine defender and now Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino scored, a goal Paraguay were convinced came off his hand.
Fortunately in Leeds’ clash with Villa, there was nothing at stake.
Paraguay’s players are clearly still hurt by the injustice they felt at the time.
If the controversy had cost Villa a spot in the Premier League and Bielsa had not allowed them to go on and score, they might be complaining 18 years on too.
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