Marcelo Bielsa: It is a traditional encounter

Marcelo Bielsa: It is a traditional encounter

Head coach on Chelsea.

Marcelo Bielsa has spoken with the media, ahead of the Premier League clash with Chelsea on Saturday (8pm).

The Whites head to Stamford Bridge for the first time since 2004 and will take on a Blues side that currently occupy third place in the division.

Bielsa began by giving an update on team news.

He said: “Diego Llorente is healthy and is in condition to play.

“The ideal thing for him would be to play with the Under-23s before he plays with the first team because it’s been a while since he has played now.

“This is the ideal process, especially when players have a repeated muscular injury which is also the case for Pablo Hernandez and Jamie Shackleton, as well as Llorente.”

Bielsa understands the historic value of Saturday’s fixture and gave his thoughts on the opposition.

“For us every game is attractive in the Premier League,” Marcelo explained.

“Every opponent renews the difficulties we have to face and in the case of Chelsea, this happens without doubt.

“With the added point that it is a traditional encounter, even though it hasn’t happened for a very long time.

“During last season Frank Lampard developed a lot of the players that were already in the institution and this season he improved the composition of his team, choosing players for the positions he deemed he needed.

“This is shown by the way that the team is playing, the individuals of the team are playing well.

“There is many different components in his team. There are young players that have developed, there was signings with experience and signings with a big future.”

This weekend will see a return of fans, with 2,000 expected to attend the match. Unfortunately due to ongoing restrictions no Leeds fans will be allowed to travel, but Marcelo knows that his side will want to win on Saturday for them.

He said: “I don’t think there is a professional player who hasn’t lived through a time where they face an opponent which increases or multiplies their spirit for a certain game.

“The players that we have in this squad as a minimum have been here for almost three years and they know the fans well.

“This allows them to live what the fans want and from what I know, the players that arrived here this season, came here because of the fans, the way the fans live the football.”

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