Leeds United host Derby County on Saturday four months after the ‘Spygate’ controversy.
The Leeds United manager, Marcelo Bielsa, praised the job done by his Derby County counterpart, Frank Lampard, this season.
Leeds visit Derby in the first leg of their Championship play-off semi-final tie on Saturday – four months on from the ‘Spygate’ controversy that saw the Whites fined £200,000 after a club employee was caught observing a Rams training session from a public road.
Lampard did not take kindly to Bielsa’s conduct, although it has not affected the Argentine’s view of the former Chelsea and England midfielder.
“The results of Derby and their play speak about Frank Lampard,” he said, as quoted by Leeds Live. “He has good players, he put them in the same team and he made the team play well.”
Leeds beat Derby in both of their regular season meetings, with Lampard admitting after January’s Elland Road defeat that United were the superior side.
Reminded of the 40-year-old’s comments, Bielsa said: “Each game is a new story. Those who won the last games to this game and those who lost.”
And asked Derby will be motivated by the two clubs’ history this season, he replied: “Could be.”
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