With Leeds United back in the Premier League, Marcelo Bielsa’s stock has almost certainly never been higher.
The Argentine coach is a legend in Yorkshire these days, with his enigmatic style and attractive brand of football having won fans over and earned him icon status.
That is a level of respect that is often shared among the players he works with, with players the world over often praising his methods and how he positively affected their careers.
That is certainly the case for Roberto Cereceda, who was fortunate enough to work under Bielsa with the Chilean national team.
Bielsa, of course, was in charge of La Roja for 50 games between 2007 and 2011 and among the players to feature for him regularly was Cereceda.
The left-back featured in 31 games for the Leeds manager over three years, starting 22 of them, being used as a substitute for six and sitting on the bench for three and it seems that time left a major impression on him.
“I have always said of Bielsa that he is the futurist,” he told La Tercera.
“He is always ahead of the game. He’s industrious. For me, he is the Albert Einstein of football.
“Not only from here (Argentina) but from the world. We’re talking about that level. Unlike Claudio (Borghi), who is more paternal, Bielsa is a workaholic, a soccer obsessive.
“And Sampaoli is like a copy of Marcelo Bielsa, but he has surprised me. When I had him, he was really more of a copy.
“Today, he has more things that he has implemented, that he has acquired. He was working with Juanma Lillo, and that gave him other ideas.
“It’s not just about going anymore. Today he has possession of the ball, a much more notorious tactical style.
“It is difficult to say who is the best because each one has things that the other doesn’t have.”
