Leeds United rescued a late draw against Middlesbrough the last time they meet in the Championship.
Tony Pulis has made it clear that Leeds boss Bielsa is an ‘off the wall’ character, but admitted that he admired him as a person after they shared a ‘few beers’ together.
In August, Middlesbrough recorded a goalless draw at Elland Road, with the two teams sharing the spoils once again earlier on this month as Pulis revealed that he spent time with Bielsa after these games.
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live on 26/02/2019 at 7:40 pm), Pulis shared his thoughts on his managerial counterpart and explained what type of character he is.
“I spoke to Bielsa after our two games, we went in had a drink in our game at Leeds and then he came in and had something to eat our place,” Pulis told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“He was good value. Obviously, his English is not brilliant. But he drank a few beers and really enjoyed himself in there. But, he’s an interesting man – Bielsa is up there [with great foreign coaches]. He is an absolute football nut.
“He was very open. Very forthright in his views and what he expected from his players. And very, very professional as well. Yes, he’s a little bit off the wall. I think you have to accept that. But I found him a really, really nice fella and good value.”
Both Boro and Leeds are fighting for promotion this season and they could potentially meet in the play-offs at the end of the season if they remain in their current positions.
At this moment in time, Pulis’ side are sitting fifth in the table, six points clear of seventh-placed Derby County and seven points off an automatic place.
On the other hand, the Whites are third in the table, two points off current leaders Norwich as they missed the chance to go top of the table on Tuesday night when they suffered a 1-0 defeat at QPR.
Nonetheless, since Bielsa’s arrival, he has transformed Leeds from a mid-table club last term to challenging for promotion this time around by showcasing his high-pressing game and introducing a number of highly-rated youngsters.
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