Leeds United reveal second friendly against LaLiga opposition as part of restart preparations

The Whites are to travel to Spain and will meet the side sitting bottom of the Spanish top flight on Thursday December 8. Elche’s link to the club comes through director of football Victor Orta, who worked for Los Franjiverdes after his time at Sevilla. Former Leeds goalkeeper Kiko Casilla spent last season on loan with the Alicante outfit.

The game will be played at Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero, with kick-off set for 7:15pm UK time. Tickets for the game, priced €25, will be sold by Elche and will be available to purchase on Wednesday November 30 from 10am, but Leeds United’s ticket office will not be selling them.

Leeds’ winter break already contains a friendly game against Real Sociedad, who are third in LaLiga, 11 points behind leaders Barcelona. That game takes place at Elland Road on December 16 at 7.45pm.

Jesse Marsch’s side were given a week off at the start of the World Cup break and then completed fitness programmes set by the club’s staff, with a certain amount of running, stationary cycling and weight training to be ticked off each day. The players, other than the trio involved in the World Cup, returned to Thorp Arch this week to begin in earnest their preparations for the resumption of action on Wednesday December 28 at home to Manchester City. A trip to Newcastle United will follow on Saturday December 31 and they begin 2023 with a home game against West Ham United on January 4.

The Whites are currently being represented on the world stage by US Men’s National Team stars Tyler Adams and Brenden Aaronson, and Denmark right-back Rasmus Kristensen. Adams, the US captain, will lead his side into their final group game against Iran this evening knowing that only a win will do, while Denmark sit third in Group D behind France [six points] and Australia [three points]. The Danes face Australia tomorrow afternoon as the group is decided.