Leeds United cult hero Junior Firpo has admitted that the departure of former head coach Marcelo Bielsa was one of the toughest experiences of his career.
Junior Firpo endured a rocky start to his career at Elland Road, joining Leeds ahead of the difficult 2021/22 season as they suffered a reality check.
Marcelo Bielsa had steered Leeds to a ninth-place finish in the Premier League the previous season, as his side dazzled the competition with their high-risk football.
However, Leeds struggled to recapture those highs the following season, and Firpo struggled to adapt to the Premier League defensively before Bielsa left his position, with the Whites staring down the barrel of relegation.
Although Jesse Marsch eventually steered Leeds to safety, Firpo has now admitted that some of the players would have preferred to be relegated with Bielsa, rather than seeing the beloved coach leave.
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Junior Firpo makes eye-opening Marcelo Bielsa admission
Speaking to the Spanish language publication El Observador, Firpo explained why Bielsa’s departure from Leeds remains one of the hardest he has experienced as a player.
According to Firpo, the players who had played under Bielsa for his entire spell were visibly emotional in the Elland Road dressing room when Bielsa’s departure was announced. Firpo said, “It was one of the toughest goodbyes to a coach I’ve ever experienced.”
Before adding, “All the players who had been with him for several years were crying in the locker room.
“It was like when you know something’s going to go down, but you’d rather let it go down with him than save it with someone else, that was that feeling.
“We miraculously survived the last game and stayed in the league, but the fans were chanting his name. It was a very difficult decision for the club.”
Leeds United favourites set for reunion
Firpo recovered from his rocky start with Leeds to become a firm fan favourite, after playing a key role in the promotion campaign before securing his move to Real Betis.
Now, he is set for a reunion with Bielsa on the international stage, amid reports that Bielsa’s Uruguay could travel to England for a friendly in the near future.
Firpo’s Dominican Republic play Uruguay in an international game in Malaysia, which will be the first meeting between the two Leeds favourites since Bielsa left Leeds.
Bielsa has already guided his Uruguay side to qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, to add another level of interest to the tournament for Leeds fans.
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