Daniel Farke fumes at Ilia Gruev in unseen Leeds United moment
Leeds United manager Daniel Farke wasn’t happy with midfielder Ilia Gruev during the friendly with Valencia, according to Graham Smyth.
Leeds battled it out with Spanish giants Valencia in a fascinating friendly on Saturday (3 August). The Whites managed to secure a 2-1 win to give themselves a real boost heading into the start of the season.
However, Farke was not happy by one particular moment as Gruev did not move quickly enough to avoid the offside trap during a corner routine.
Pointing out some unseen moments from the game for the Yorkshire Evening Post’s online edition, Smyth said: “Farke’s frustration getting the better of him as a corner routine was spoiled by Ilia Gruev not moving quickly enough to avoid the offside trap.”
Leeds United have issues to resolve
There are clearly still a few things that need to be ironed out at Leeds. Following the departure of Crysencio Summerville, questions are flying around regarding a potential replacement.
Still, when you’re able to beat a side like Valencia, it’s cause for celebration.
This Leeds side is heavily favoured to do well in the Championship this season. Alas, that kind of expectation can invite pressure and complacency.
With that being said, they didn’t appear to show that against Valencia, trading blows with them for 90 minutes in a really competitive affair.
For the most part, though, Gruev held his own in this game. He played for over an hour and looked pretty comfortable throughout.
With 20 starts under his belt in the league last season (FBref), now may be the time for the 24-year-old to become a true break-out star.
Either way, he learned an important lesson: don’t annoy the boss.
In other Leeds United news, Brenden Aaronson has sent a message on Instagram after the Whites finalised a major transfer.
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