Throughout the season, the match day programme includes a feature length interview with one Leeds United star, every home game.

We go into life on and off the pitch, giving fans an insight into the more personal aspect and life of our squad. Here is a taste of what you might have missed, and in the future, a taste of what you can expect to read!

We continue our look back over the season with Matuesz Klich. The Polish international is currently playing for his country at Euro 2020. The midfielder discussed how much he has improved under Marcelo Bielsa, and his journey to becoming a professional.

Mateusz, you scored in your first ever Premier League match, that must have felt great?

“Yeah, very good! In the first game at Anfield. I was very happy. We could have drawn that day, we could have won. We had a good game that day and I was happy with my performance. But obviously we didn't have any points so that wasn't good.”

You’ve often told us how much you like working with Marcelo Bielsa, just how important has he been for your development?

“I think he has improved every player and we seem like we can we play on 150% of our capacity, because we all played the best football in our lives and we are all in the best physical condition. We've never been running so much, we’ve never run so quick. And this is very good. And this is probably thanks to him. So yeah, it’s a very enjoyable time, but he always feels there’s a place for improvement.

“I think everything I did before he came I did on a slower pace. And now everything that I do, I look quicker, I move better on the pitch, and I know what my role is within the team more clearly. So I just do my tasks every weekend - every one of us has tasks, and if everyone does well then we win.”

Another solid relationship for you has been with the forward players, specifically Patrick Bamford who you have played with for quite a while now.

“Patrick’s a striker, I just try to find them and provide him my assists, which gives me numbers and gives him goals as well. So I don't know. It looks like a good connection, I know after two and a half years with him, I know how he runs, where he runs and where he wants the ball. I just try to feed him, that’s it.”



So a bit about Mateusz the person, can you tell us how your football journey began growing up?

“I was training swimming when I was very young, because of my family from my mother's side were swimmers. My grandad was a great swimmer, my mother was a good swimmer as well, but football was always in first place for me, I would never choose swimming. I always chose football, my father was a football player and I always wanted to play football.

“I went to boarding school when I was 13/14. It wasn't very far from home, only like one and a half hours from home but still, it was a new place and no parents. Everyone knows how it is in a boarding school you can succeed or you can get lost. I managed to succeed and I wasn't really interested in anything else other than playing football - because there was a lot of things going on, obviously in houses in boarding school parties and everything but I always wanted to play football, always wanted to everything to to achieve the goal and I'm here now.”

Footballers always have ups and downs, can you recall many moments where you had to be strong and keep believing in your ability?

“Yeah, there was plenty of moments like this because I moved from Poland to Germany. And then I had many problems I didn't play in the Bundesliga. I was involved back in the days, and I only made I think two or three appearances on the bench and I struggled. Then I moved to Holland and I won a cup in Holland, and then I thought my career is going to go in the right direction. And then the boardroom bought me back because they had clauses in the contract and I didn't play again.”

And was the dream always to play in the Premier League at some point?

“My girlfriend told me what you're going to play in Premier League one day and I said this is going to be difficult because I knew I was getting older. I was playing in Eredivisie back in the day and also to be fair, I was settled in Holland, I wanted to stay in Holland. I said, Yeah, the Bundesliga and probably Premier League is already gone. So I won't make it, then I had the offer from the Championship with Leeds. I was like, oh, this might be my last chance, so I took it and obviously the first season wasn't great, but then Marcelo Bielsa came and the rest is history!”

Does that show just how important hard work is and to never give up on your dreams?

“Yeah! It’s a cliche, but I think it perfectly suits me, because I worked really hard to be here. I made a lot of sacrifices as well and I'm here so this is this is a good lesson. The one thing is to make it to the Premier League, but other thing is to stay there and play well because obviously I don't want to play a couple games and just be forgotten. I want to play and improve, I think there are a few of seasons ahead of me and I just can't wait to play games.”