Exclusive: Leeds defy EFL & Gov't as Bielsa's secret plan for today revealed

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Published on:

11 Apr 2020, 2:30 am

A second group of Leeds United players have been instructed by Marcelo Bielsa to train at Thorp Arch again today in a further breach of strict guidelines.

Football Insider revealed yesterday that eight members of United's squad were put through their paces at the training ground despite the EFL telling Football League clubs this week not to resume group training before 16 May.

A Leeds source has told Football Insider that Bielsa has planned to conduct training in separate groups during the Easter weekend and another set of players are due at Thorp Arch today.

They are set to be put through their paces by the backroom staff as part of a strict monitoring of their fitness during the UK-wide lockdown.

It is not known if Bielsa plans to be present himself.

United's fit players, like those across the UK and Europe, have been training individually at home for most of the last month.

This has prompted fears from Bielsa about the conditioning and fitness of his key men at a time when Leeds' Championship promotion challenge is still on the line.

United's players have been training six days a week and adhering to specialised programmes put together by the Argentine's backroom staff.

But the notoriously demanding manager wants further evidence of their condition before letting them have a break.

The move is a highly controversial one given the strict Government social distancing guidelines for dealing with the pandemic.

Jose Mourinho was forced to apologise after conducting a one-on-one training session with Tanguy Ndombele in a public park earlier this week.

EFL chairman Rick Parry has written to all 71 clubs in the Championship, League One and League Two this week telling them not to resume group training before 16 May.

Football League clubs have been advised to give their players time off now in advance of the proposed resumption.

The aim is for matches to resume in the second or third week of June and for the season, including the play-offs, to be completed across 56 days.

In other Leeds United news, Noel Whelan delivers instant reaction to huge EFL update.

Leeds United