Leeds United star Diego Llorente pays Marcelo Bielsa huge compliment with coaching claim

Llorente – who is currently on international duty with Spain amid the November break – joined the Whites from La Liga outfit Real Sociedad 15 months ago in a deal worth around £18m.

The centre-back has impressed in the Premier League since his arrival in West Yorkshire though has suffered with a number of injuries over the past year which has limited his involvement.

Llorente has featured nine times this term in all competitions, scoring once for the club against Watford in United’s first top-flight victory of the season early in October.

Bielsa is known across the world as one of the most analytical managers in football having earned praise from his fellow coaches for innovating the game.

The 66-year-old runs a hard regime at Thorp Arch which has given the club huge success in recent years, leaving very little to chance when it comes to matchday for the Whites.

“I have not had any coach who analyses and studies so much every aspect of the game, no matter how small it may be,” Llorente said of his boss to DAZN.

“For Bielsa, football is his life. In summer he watches all the competitions and he is all day thinking about football. That shocked me because I have never had such a coach.

“He also works in a very specific way, which at first surprises you a bit, but then you see that everything has a reason. He analyses individual videos with you and I think he is one of the most complete trainers I have ever had.”

Llorente was handed a late call up to Luis Enrique’s Spain squad after fellow defender Eric Garcia pulled out of representing his nation due to injury.

“It’s one of the individual goals that I set myself [playing for Spain] and that only happens by having continuity and doing a good job at Leeds,” Llorente added.

Leeds forward Rodrigo was also handed a first opportunity at international level in over 12 months following his recent form, having bagged goals against Wolves and Norwich City.