Sam Allardyce makes Leeds United and Real Madrid comparison after what he saw this week
Sam Allardyce has highlighted how his Leeds United side weren’t blown away by Manchester City in the same way Real Madrid were.
The emergency Whites boss took his side to face Pep Guardiola in his first game in charge on 6 May, and despite being overrun in the first half they held their own and pulled a goal back to lose 2-1.
In comparison, Carlo Ancelotti’s 14-times European champions limped to a 4-0 thrashing in midweek, and the Elland Road manager noted the sign of improvement in his players.
Reacting to events at the Etihad on Wednesday (17 May) in an interview with The Times he said: “I saw Real Madrid buckle this week in a way that we didn’t.”
And Allardyce summed up his situation after being drafted in to replace Javi Gracia for just four games remaining, saying: “I obviously wish I had more time. But it was Leeds United who were calling me. A great club, historically. Great fans. It would have always been attractive, whatever the circumstances.”
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A Champions League semi-final second leg possibly got the City players up for the occasion slightly more than a game that was expected to be a run-of-the-mill victory in the league but Allardyce makes a fair point.
For a side that had become known for wilting under pressure with Gracia in charge, and arguably with Jesse Marsch and Marcelo Bielsa at times, it was an encouraging display in Manchester.
Similarly, recovering from adversity, that was admittedly self-inflicted for the most part, in the 2-2 with Newcastle last week (13 May) showed a new determination that would have fans cautiously optimistic about survival if there were more games left.
Many of them will be sharing the manager’s wish for more time, but after a season that has seen the club lurch from one set up to another the two games remaining are the extent of what he has to work with.
A trip to the London Stadium to face West Ham on Sunday (21 May) is a much less daunting prospect than a game at the Etihad, and there will be a collective hope around West Yorkshire that the Hammers’ qualification for a European final on Thursday will lead to a lull on the return to domestic action.
Putting in a better fight than Real Madrid was a good sign, but it won’t mean anything in the long run if Allardyce can’t get the points across the final two to reach safety.
In other Leeds United news, a highly-regarded European manager has spoken out about his hopes for the Premier League after an approach from Elland Road.