Here are the Leeds United evening headlines on Saturday, April 16.
Gary Lineker praises Marcelo Bielsa Rosario tribute
More than six weeks have passed since Marcelo Bielsa parted ways with Leeds in a decision that shocked, and frustrated, a large proportion of the fanbase. Whilst Jesse Marsch has been able to orchestrate a much-needed turnaround since replacing his predecessor, the Argentine remains well loved at Elland Road.
In their attempt to get a message to Bielsa thanking him for everything he did during his time at the club, a few Whites supporters devised a cunning plan. They all chipped in to pay for a full-page advert in La Capital, the biggest newspaper in his hometown of Rosario.
Read more: Leeds United handed survival bonus by baffling owners' self-destruct button at Burnley
The words ‘Thank you Marcelo’ dominated the page above a passage in Spanish explaining exactly how the Leeds fans still feel about the great man. Gary Lineker spotted the tribute on Twitter and responded by tweeting 'Bien hecho' which translates to 'well done' in Spanish.
Leeds finances benefitted from being EFL’s ‘biggest fish’
Andrea Radrizzani and the rest of his team at Elland Road came in for big praise when the club released their figures for the 2020/21 season earlier this month. The announced revenue of £171m ranked Leeds 23rd on the Deloitte Global Money League despite only having the benefit of one Premier League season in the finances.
Football finance expert, Kieran Maguire, was really impressed by how effectively those in charge of the club have been able to work since returning to the top flight. He told Football Insider: “It is impressive, absolutely. It was their first season in the Premier League and I think they benefited from the fact that they were the biggest fish in the EFL pond for so long.
“Despite their long residency there, the level of interest in the club never really waned a great deal. Now, they have managed to monetise that interest now that they have the added attraction of having Premier League status, which counts for a lot.”
Read more here.
Leeds’ last six Premier League games predicted
The English football season is well and truly into its business end as titles, European places and relegations will be confirmed in the coming weeks. Like most teams, it is a huge period for Leeds who are desperate to ensure that they are playing Premier League football for a third consecutive campaign.
Under Marsch, the Whites have been able to get themselves into a commanding position to confirm survival but they will more than likely need to pick up some more points to make absolutely sure. The games against Crystal Palace, Brighton and Brentford will be targeted for those all-important points as Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea will provide significantly tougher tests.
Read our predictions for the remaining games of the season here.
