Leeds’s reported stance on Kiko Casilla vindicated after pre-season friendly

Add as preferred source on Google

With the new signings and a number of key men away on international duty, plenty of Leeds United players were handed a good opportunity to impress ahead of the coming season in the Whites’ first pre-season friendly on Tuesday.

Kiko Casilla was one of those who started the game with Stoke City. The Spaniard’s inclusion came just a matter of days after the Daily Mail reported that Leeds were willing to offload the goalkeeper this summer.

Casilla has grabbed many headlines for the wrong reasons during his time at Leeds. There have been a number of costly mistakes. And of course, he served an eight-match ban last season after being found guilty of racially abusing Jonathan Leko.

That suspension opened the door for Illan Meslier to come into the side. And the Frenchman certainly managed to stake a claim to be the club’s number one in the Premier League.

He was not always given a lot to do during his time between the sticks. But he seemed to pass almost every test during the latter stages of the campaign.

However, with Meslier one of those away on international duty, it was Casilla who started at the bet365 Stadium.

Leeds were beaten 3-0 by the Potters. But admittedly, it is probably not a result that will still be in the back of the players’ minds when they face Liverpool in the season curtain-raiser this month.

Nevertheless, it was a game that highlighted why so many fans felt that Meslier was a breath of fresh air when he came in last term.

The first goal Leeds conceded came after a cross into the box was knocked down for Nathan Collins. Casilla can be forgiven for not stopping the shot, but his decision to come off his line just beforehand to flap at the cross itself is alarming.

One of the reasons Casilla has come in for criticism has been his decision-making. And this was certainly a poor one.

He did not need to fly out. And perhaps, it meant that he lost his bearings slightly as the ball was knocked down for Collins.

In fairness, Casilla did go on to make a couple of good saves in the defeat. And it is difficult to imagine Bielsa dwelling too much on one error of judgement.

But there is no question that it was the kind of moment that Casilla could have done without, especially amid reports that he could leave.