Since Leeds United lost their play-off semi final to Derby County, the world’s sport media has shown little understanding for the heartbreak fans are suffering and instead tried to pile it on by linking their much loved manager with moves to other clubs.
There’s been various claims in Spain, and he’s been linked to AS Roma in Italy, as well as some possibilities popping up in South America.
The Roma links were quickly rubbished, and the Galicia media did the same with claims around Celta Vigo. Similar probably should have happened with suggestions Girona are interested, if only because the now second division club would struggle with the wages for Team Bielsa.
But Catalan newspaper Sport aren’t willing to let it go. They say the City Football Group want Bielsa at Girona, he’s one of their most desire candidates, even if it’s known a deal would be complicated.
Sport state: ‘Leeds has a preferential option to renew and have him this coming season, although Bielsa has the last word and can accept the proposal or not. Both parties are negotiating.’
This all reminded Sport Witness of recent comments from the Leeds United manager’s brother, Rafael Bielsa.
In mid April, Rafael, who used to be his country’s Minister for Foreign Relations, spoke to the Argentine media, as Newell’s Old Boys hope was building that their managerial hero could return.
He explained to La Capital: “Marcelo cannot go back to Newell’s because he has a contractual problem. I made the contract. If he does not go up to the Premier League, Leeds have the option to keep him. Taking into account the campaign that he’s fulfilling it’s difficult to not keep him. And if he goes up, it is mandatory for both parties to stay. In the contract he signed there is no escape clause that Marcelo put during the time when he was running Espanyol, and appeared the possibility of going to the Argentine team.”
“I cannot imagine Marcelo breaking a contract. He never broke one during his career. It was the other way around. For example, with América in Mexico or Lille in France it was because the clubs broke the agreements.
“Who more than me, and I’m his brother, would like Marcelo to come to Newell’s? But I do not see him breaking so many rules. And not for the strictly professional, but for an existential question. The Bielsa family does not break the rules. These are values that are learned as a child, you are taught by your mother, your grandparents and the whole family environment.”
