Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds United will face Rotherham United on Saturday.
Casilla has joined Championship club Leeds in the January transfer window on a free after leaving Spanish and European giants Real Madrid, as announced on the Whites’ official website.
The 32-year-old goalkeeper will start for the West Yorkshire outfit in their Championship game against Rotherham United away from home on Saturday afternoon, with Bielsa having already named his starting lineup, as quoted in The Yorkshire Evening Post.
Former Leeds striker Whelan believes that Bielsa has promised Casilla the position between the posts, and has also suggested why he is making the change for the game against Rotherham.
Whelan said on BBC Radio Leeds about Casilla coming in for Bailey Peacock-Farrell: “I think he was probably waiting for a defeat to happen or Bailey Peacock-Farrell to make a mistake to put him in, but he didn’t really make too many mistakes against Stoke, to be honest with you. I thought he played quite well.”
“But he is wanting more experience,” added Whelan. “You are definitely going to get that from a player who has been at Real Madrid. You are not there just to watch.
“He has been there and he has seen the experienced players in and around him, he has been part of it, so I am sure he has been promised to bring him in from Real Madrid – he will be number one and this is the opportunity to put him in after the defeat to put him. So it makes it easy for Bielsa to change the goalkeeper.”
Bouncing back
Leeds suffered a 2-1 defeat to Stoke City away from home at bet365 Stadium in the Championship last weekend.
The Whites will be determined to bounce back this afternoon, and with Rotherham fighting for survival in the second tier of English football, Bielsa’s side should be confident of picking up all three points from the encounter.
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