LONDON • Marcelo Bielsa's sportsman-like decision to allow opponents Aston Villa to score unopposed was "a remarkable gesture" given that it ended Leeds' faint hopes of earning automatic promotion to the Premier League.
Sunday's 1-1 draw at Elland Road meant that second-placed Sheffield United joined leaders Norwich City in regaining their top-flight status, consigning the third-placed home team to the lottery of the English Championship play-offs.
Leeds needed a victory to stay mathematically in the hunt - in reality, the Blades were all but promoted the previous day as a win for the hosts would have still left them three points behind with a hugely inferior goal difference - but their fans still held out hope for an unlikely miracle.
Former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger was left astounded but full of praise for Leeds manager Bielsa's instructions to his players to allow the visitors to equalise unchallenged.
His team had opened the scoring through midfielder Mateusz Klich in controversial circumstances as Villa striker Jonathan Kodjia lay stricken on the pitch.
That goal sparked a series of on-pitch melees, one of which resulted in Villa's Anwar Al Ghazi being sent off.
Bielsa was then seen to order his players to return the favour, instructing them to allow Villa to net unopposed. The Villans duly did, through winger Albert Adomah .
While Wenger disagreed with the protests, insisting that "only the referee can stop the game" and Dean Smith's players should not have expected Leeds to kick the ball out of play when Kodjia was down injured, he admitted it was praiseworthy.
The Frenchman told beIN Sports: "It is a kind of fair play that is usually on the football pitch. Only the ref can stop the game, but it is remarkable from Bielsa.
"They (Leeds) are playing to come up to the Premier League and there is something at stake... the whole world has to watch that.
"I would like to say, 'Thank you' to Marcelo Bielsa."
Villa coach Smith, who had former Chelsea captain John Terry aiding him on the touchline as assistant manager, agreed with Wenger. He hailed the decision as "sportsmanship prevailing in the end" before expressing his "full respect" for the Argentinian's ethical principles.
REUTERS
Football: Yoshida-san, restore the Lions' semangat, boleh? 0:0 Comments Croatian Luxury Tourism Segment Presented in Singapore - Total Croatia News 0:0 Comments Tennis: Alexander Zverev, Stefanos Tsitsipas into last 16 at sweltering Roland Garros 0:0 Comments Football: Grief in Sevilla as former star Jose Antonio Reyes killed in car crash 0:0
Sunderland owner Donald to sell 64 per cent of his stake in
sportstoft.com/soccer/sunderland-owner-donald-to-sell-64-per-cent-of-his-stake-in-the-club/
Sportsmail can reveal that the deal would see Campbell acquire 64 per cent from owner Stewart Donald and 10 per cent from Uruguayan investor Juan Sartori.. That would leave Donald and Sartori each with a 10 per cent stake, and executive director Charlie Methven is likely to retain the six per cent share he was given by Donald for brokering the purchase of the club from Ellis Short just 13
Newspapers | Media | Virginia Bus
virginiabus.info/news/us-biologists-probe-deaths-of-70-emaciated-gray-whales/
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA (REUTERS) - US government biologists have launched a special investigation into the deaths of at least 70 gray whales washed ashore in recent months along the US West Coast, from California to Alaska, many of them emaciated, officials said on Friday (May 31).
Ex-PAP MP & ex-FAS chairman Zainudin Nordin among 4 arrested & out on police bail for donation saga. New plot twist. Chan Cheow Pong FAS General Secretary Winston Lee,
Football Association of Singapore - Singapore's official home
Sigurdur Ragnar Eyjolfsson will insist that it is possible to taste success as he throws his name into the hat for the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) technical director position, which is
Football: New FAS technical director Joseph Palatsides
Real Madrid take top spot from Man Utd in 'money league
La Liga: Karim Benzema Saves Real Madrid Blushes With Late
The Premier League voiced "significant concerns" over potential reforms to the Champions League on Friday, saying the changes would damage the thriving domestic game. Reported reforms being put forward for further discussion include changing the current group stage from eight groups of four to four
Premier League Voices Fears Over Proposed UCL Reforms
Home Football Ikhsan gets off mark in Norway, Football News & Top Stories. Football; His team were crying out for a saviour in Oslo, Norway, on Sunday and Ikhsan Fandi delivered.
Ikhsan gets off mark in Norway - theworldnews.net
Professional footballers across the Premier League and Football League are set to undertake a 24-hour boycott of all forms of social media, in protest against the recent rise in racial abuse and
'#Enough' - Premier League players boycott social media in
Sanchez: Spurs squad can cope without Kane and Alli. Ireland's Browne confident he can make his mark at international level. Charlton boss Bowyer takes a Leed from finest team he ever played in.
Lucas Moura's hat-trick shows Tottenham can cope without
3 in 4 Singapore football fans plan their holidays around
'Brilliant' Reds have belief Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp speaking about the Champions League final during a press conference at the club's Melwood training ground on Tuesday. In Madrid on
Football: 'Brilliant' Reds have belief - theworldnews.net
Former Manchester United and England midfielder Paul Scholes has been appointed manager of Oldham Athletic, the club announced on Monday. Scholes, 44, is taking on his first managerial role
Man United great Scholes appointed manager of Oldham
0 Kommentare:
Kommentar veröffentlichen