Leeds United welcomed Ilia Gruev back into their starting XI for the first time since October during Monday’s bore draw with Burnley at Turf Moor.
And the Bulgarian’s return, as far as Daniel Farke is concerned, could hardly have been better timed.
One of the few positives on a night of even fewer chances, Ilia Gruev kept Burnley dangerman Josh Brownhill at arms’ length as both sides banged their heads against a pair of brick wall backlines without anything to show for their efforts but a splitting migraine.
“It was important today [to have Gruev] against three physical midfield players,” Farke said after a draw which keeps Leeds United three points ahead of Burnley and two clear of Sheffield United in the Championship promotion battle.
“Brownhill is always dangerous in behind when the striker drops. We needed legs in order to defend this. And, for this, I am happy Ilia is back.
“A really good performance considering this was his first game back [in the starting XI].”
While Gruev made his welcome return, one of his predecessors in the Leeds midfield was also back in action this weekend. Marc Roca had not featured since October – like Gruev – and was back in the XI – like Gruev – following months out of action.
While Leeds’ £4 million signing from Werder Bremen needed surgery to correct a knee issue, it was an ankle problem which slowed Marc Roca’s progress back in La Liga with Real Betis.
Though it’s fair to say the reaction following his Roca’s return was not quite as glowing as the assessment Farke provided of Gruev.
Marc Roca continues to struggle after leaving Leeds United for Real Betis
Now, it feels more than a little unfair to lambast Roca’s performance during that 1-0 win at Real Mallorca. He did miss 10 successive league matches over in Spain, after all.
While Gruev played the full 90 minutes at Burnley with minimal fuss, the one-time Bayern Munich benchwarmer is clearly miles off full match sharpness.
Though that did not stop the local press from issuing a rather damning verdict of Roca’s impact. Or a lack thereof, as the case may be.
As Onda Betica write, Real Betis ‘improved considerably’ once veteran coach Manuel Pellegrini removed Roca at half-time and brought on Sergi Atlimira in his place.
“They needed that; [Altimira’s] pace. The pace of a box-to-box player with desire and presence. He linked up with Isco and helped [Johnny] Cardoso to win the ball back,” they write, the only goal of the game coming via Cedric Bakambu in stoppage time.
“Betis grew in possession.”
El pes Punte handed Roca a match rating of just 4/10. They too believe that the introduction of Altimira helped shift the tide in the visitor’s favour.
“Too many sideways passes,” was their verdict on Roca’s display. “Changed at half-time [and] his team noticed it for the better.”
Marc Roca yet to convince as Ilia Gruev impresses at Elland Road
Roca, who spent just one season at Leeds before joining Betis on an initial loan deal following their relegation in 2023, completed 85 per cent of his passes in Mallorca.
Then again, that was perhaps part of the problem. Betis needed someone capable of progressing the ball up the pitch, with Altimira providing the sort of thrust that Roca, even at his fittest, is not exactly renowned for offering.
“The ball belonged to Mallorca because of their dominance in the midfield [in the first-half],” say Diario de Sevilla. “Marc Roca returned after a long absence and it was obvious. He never got into the game.”
Leeds, when selling Roca to Real Betis last summer, secured £4 million for their efforts. Coincidentally, the same fee they paid Werder Bremen for Ilia Gruev.
And, at this present moment in time, even Roca’s greatest admirers would struggle to argue that Betis are getting better value for money than Leeds United area.
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