Ex-Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa excited to face ‘best’ opposition on return to England
The former Whites manager is in charge of Uruguay - who are set to play England
Marcelo Bielsa says he is always excited to face the best as the much-loved former Leeds boss prepares to lead Uruguay against England.
The 70-year-old is one of the most popular managers in the West Yorkshire club’s history having guided them to an unforgettable promotion in 2020, finally ending their 16-year absence from the Premier League.
Bielsa parted company with the Elland Road club in February 2022 after almost four years in charge and will on Friday coach on English soil for the first time since then when his Uruguay side take on England.
La Celeste suffered an embarrassing 5-1 loss to the United States last time out in November but the Argentinian coach is excited to take on one of the World Cup favourites at Wembley on Friday night.
“Every match is an opportunity,” Bielsa said as the side 17th in FIFA’s world rankings travel to the team in fourth.
“Obviously I’m not unaware of the quality of the teams we’re up against, but I always prefer that the games we play in demand the very best from us.
“And the speculation surrounding a match that happened four months ago, beyond the very difficult result I had to accept… for me, playing against the best always excites me.”
Bielsa has twice managed against England before, leading Argentina to a 0-0 draw at the old Wembley in 2000 before David Beckham’s spot-kick sealed Sven-Goran Eriksson’s side a 1-0 win at the 2002 World Cup.
The Uruguay head coach told a press conference: “Competing against an English team, given the history of English football and the type of competition in which 90 per cent of their players participate, is always a test that demands the best from us to overcome.”