Leeds United fans will absolutely love what Jaka Bijol said ahead of Chelsea showdown
Leeds United’s daunting fixture schedule continues with a home clash against Chelsea on Wednesday night.
On Saturday, Leeds lost agonisingly to Manchester City, after Phil Foden’s late winner cancelled out strikes from Lukas Nmecha and Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
It was an encouraging performance from the Whites, who were ultimately undone by a lapse in concentration in the dying embers, creating confidence that an upset against Chelsea is possible.
Ahead of the showdown at Elland Road, Daniel Farke did deliver some crushing news, as it was revealed that Dan James could be out of action for eight weeks after being forced off at half-time at the Etihad Stadium.
This update will have saddened supporters, although it has arguably spurred the Whites on even more to achieve a famous victory over the Blues.
Jaka Bijol issues Leeds United rallying cry ahead of Chelsea clash
Leeds showed togetherness and mental resilience in abundance during their loss to Man City, and those are two qualities they will need to demonstrate once more.
Speaking before Wednesday’s clash, Leeds summer signing Jaka Bijol highlighted how the rivalry between the clubs and the support from the stands can be crucial to their chances.
“When there is a rivalry in the game too, like with Leeds and Chelsea, that fuels the fans, but it also fuels us. There is even more incentive to go out and get a win,” Bijol said via Leeds’ official website.
“We are going to give our best until the end. We love seeing the fans in the stadium singing, home and away. So, stick with us and we will keep working hard and I am sure we will get the results we need.”
| Leeds upcoming fixtures |
| Chelsea (H) – December 3 |
| Liverpool (H) – December 6 |
| Brentford (A) – December 14 |
| Crystal Palace (H) – December 20 |
| Sunderland (A) – December 28 |
Leeds begin a run of five fixtures in the space of 26 days against Chelsea, and Bijol – who has featured in three of their last four outings – will be hoping to play a vital role, although Pascal Strujik and Joe Rodon have been Farke’s preferred pairing.
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Leeds vs Chelsea rivalry explained
Although the two clubs are 207 miles apart geographically, Leeds United vs Chelsea is a rivalry that dates back decades.
The two clubs have played out some fascinating battles over the years, including a dramatic 2-2 draw in the 1970 FA Cup final, making it the first FA Cup final to require a replay since 1912.
Whilst Chelsea ran out 2-1 winners in the replay at Old Trafford, it was the 1960s when the rivalry began, as the two sides started to simmer along nicely, as both sides enjoyed renaissances of sorts.
Don Revie built Leeds into an incredible machine by the end of the decade, while Tommy Docherty led a revolution at Stamford Bridge.
More recently, Chelsea secured a 3-2 victory over Leeds during an FA Cup tie in February 2024, one of many classic matches played out between the two.
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