Josuha Guilavogui's heartfelt Leeds United message after 10-month issue resolved

Josuha Guilavogui is desperate to keep pushing on at Leeds United but admits it ‘felt great’ to play 90 minutes for the first time in nearly 10 months on Saturday.

The 34-year-old was handed his first start in Leeds colours on Saturday, almost three months after signing as a free agent, as Daniel Farke’s side beat League Two Harrogate Town 1-0 in the FA Cup third round. Largie Ramazani scored the decisive goal on a day in which the major positive was regular minutes for those usually on the fringes of first-team action.

Before Saturday’s cup clash, Guilavogui’s Leeds career totalled nine substitute appearances to the tune of 53 minutes, but that more-than doubled with a first full game since Mainz 05’s March 30 Bundesliga trip to RB Leipzig. And while it was far from a perfect performance - both individually and as a team - the always-smiling former France international took plenty of positives away.

Guilavogui message

Reflecting on the win, Guilavogui wrote in a post on X: “A hard-fought qualification, but we move one step closer in this legendary competition! FA CUP. First 90 minutes in almost 10 months feels great to be back. Time to keep grinding and pushing forward! Massive thanks for the incredible support and electric atmosphere.”

Guilavogui was dropped into centre-back as cover for previously ever-present Joe Rodon on Saturday, a decision that first became evident when the October arrival and Pascal Struijk warmed up separately. And the midfielder did appear to struggle in what is not his favoured position - albeit one he has played in regularly.

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An early tangle of legs with Harrogate’s Josh March could easily have seen a penalty awarded for the fourth-tier visitors, and it was not the only occasion Guilavogui got caught a little short. But a full 90 minutes of football could prove invaluable going into the final four months of the Championship season.

Important minutes for Leeds quartet

Guilavogui wasn’t the only senior Leeds player to win a first start on Saturday, with Isaac Schmidt having to wait even longer. The versatile defender has been publicly singled out by Farke but impressed at right-back, albeit against lower league opposition.

There were also brief returns for Junior Firpo and Ilia Gruev as the pair build fitness following injury issues. The latter has been out since the start of October after undergoing surgery on a knee injury - a blow that, combined with Ethan Ampadu’s injury just days before, forced Leeds into the market for Guilavogui.

“This game was important to bring players like Junior [Firpo] and Ilia [Gruev] back, they are important for us,” Farke said of the returning quartet after Saturday’s win. “It was important for Isaac [Schmidt] and Josh [Guilavogui] to get their starting debuts. We feel there's competition back and we need this. Ethan [Ampadu] is just on the way back after a long-term injury, he has not played too many games in midfield. Important to give him a feeling of the connection with Joe Rothwell and Ao Tanaka later on."