Even though Marcelo Bielsa’s run in the Premier League has come to an end in late February, he is still remembered fondly by many. Among them is Pep Guardiola, the head coach of the side defending the title as well as currently leading the table.
It is no secret that Guardiola is a huge admirer of former Leeds United, Atletico Club and Argentina NT boss Bielsa. In fact, before beginning his managerial career, Pep, who had then retired from football, used to meet the Argentine quite often in order to learn more about the game and develop his ideas strongly.
Guardiola defined football in the modern generation during his unbelievable four-year spell with Barcelona between 2008 and 2012, where the Catalan club won everything there is to conquer.
His style of quick positional changes and short passing and pressing to beat the opposition is now the staple of European football in the 21st century. However, Guardiola insists that Bielsa would have won more trophies than him had he been in charge of Barcelona’s incredible team over a decade ago.
Speaking to Telemundo Sports, Guardiola also said that he would have never been able to revitalize the fortunes of Leeds and led them from despair and misery in the Championship to the Premier League while playing an attractive brand of football and developing players.
“Give him my Barcelona and you will see how he will win titles. Give me Leeds, with all due respect to the Leeds players, but I would still be in the Championship,”
he said.
Bielsa parted ways with the Yorkshire-based club in the thick of a relegation battle. He took over the side in 2018, and in 2020, the Whites secured promotion to the Premier League for the first time since being relegated almost 18 years before. Leeds have appointed former RB Leipzig manager Jesse Marsch as his successor.
