Leeds United midfielder Ilia Gruev makes ‘luck’ assessment after Bulgaria defeat
Leeds United midfielder Ilia Gruev felt his national side Bulgaria were “unlucky” to lose against Montenegro in their Euro 2024 qualifier.
Gruev played the full 90 minutes for Bulgaria in the 2-1 loss at Podgorica City Stadium in the Montenegrin capital on Sunday [10 September].
Bulgaria are now winless in seven matches, losing four of those, but Gruev believes factors beyond quality alone are going against his country.
“We were unlucky today,” he is quoted as saying by Bulgarian outlet Trud [10 September].
“We put a lot of pressure on them. We don’t have luck. I don’t know, this is football
“I feel much better in midfield. I play where the coach lets me. Nothing happens quickly in life and I hope we get that time.”
Ready for Millwall
From a selfish point of view, the most important thing from a Leeds perspective is that late summer signing Gruev returns from international duty injury free.
The same is true of each of the players who are currently taking part in games across the world during this first international window of the season.
In the case of Gruev, we have yet to see the midfielder in action as paperwork denied him the chance to make his debut prior to the two-week break.
Assuming he is free of any injury issues upon his return from Bulgaria duty, there is a strong chance the 23-year-old could start away at Millwall on Sunday [17 September].
Talk about a baptism of fire!
Gruev certainly looks like a talented player from his time at Werder Bremen, but fingers crossed this ‘bad luck’ he talks about does not follow him to Elland Road.
In other Leeds United news, Sam Greenwood has opened up on what it was like to work with a “genius” at Elland Road.