Elia Caprile had a brief yet useful spell at Leeds United earlier in his career. Now, he is one of the best keepers in the Serie A but he still feels influenced by Marcelo Bielsa’s ideas.
The 25-year-old joined the Whites in January 2020 and featured several times for their U23s side. He never made a first-team appearance but was always around Bielsa’s first-team. Caprile returned to Italy soon enough and the decision has been proven correct.
The goalkeeper’s journey has taken him from Yorkshire to Naples and now Sardinia, with Cagliari punching above their weight in Serie A. In the meantime, Caprile’s stature has only grown, as he has also attracted interest from England.
He has now opened up about what he learnt from Bielsa during his time at Leeds United.
Keeper reveals Bielsa approach
Cagliari manager Fabio Pisacane has impressed this season. Caprile spoke to Corriere dello Sport in a detailed interview for Monday’sprint edition and he was asked to draw parallels between Pisacane and Bielsa.
He noted the pair are similar in how they view the game.
Caprile said, praising the ex-Leeds United boss: “Look, he really is crazy, eh? When I was at Leeds, he always told us that a match only lasts 90 minutes and that during the week there’s family, problems, rest, free time. Basically, existence. But who talks like that these days?”
The keeper went deeper, revealing a story Bielsa once told Whites’ players.
“Before a match against Chelsea, he told us the story of a friend of his who was a miner and who found comfort underground in the thought of seeing his family again.”
Noting the similarities in their human approach, he said: “Bielsa, like Pisacane, insists on never making mistakes in his approach. I feel this deeply in Cagliari.”
Whites spell helped Caprile
Now, the keeper comes across as a very mature figure at Cagliari. Despite being 25, he is a dressing room leader and one of the most reliable players at the club.
While he could get a big move soon, it is clear that the Leeds United spell did help Caprile. He has previously spoken about how it changed his perspective on life and improved him as a person.
This puts him in good stead at a club that is going in the right direction.
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