Leeds United v Aston Villa: Marcelo Bielsa press conference on Europe, injuries update, Jack Grealish and 'nasty' Whites

Leeds are approaching the contest sat tenth after Tuesday evening's 3-0 win at home to Southampton whereas Villa sit eighth after Sunday's 2-1 reverse at home to Leicester City.

Bielsa will be speaking to the press at 12.30pm and all the latest news will follow here after the press conference's conclusion.

On Klich, Phillips Rodrigo and injury news

"Klich is doing pretty well, and Rodrigo and Kalvin won't be available this week."

Is Klich well enough for selection?

"I don't know."

On Jack Harrison's form - how do you manage him?

"Harrison is a very strong player mentally. He is a very dedicated professional. And on occasion, like with all players, I maintain a dialogue with him when I see fit."

On Villa - the difference in them this year

"As we have been speaking about lately how you construct a team to go from one half to the other half, from tenth to 15th or 10th to fifth. I think Aston Villa have observed the changes they needed to make. And they found solutions to the positions that they thought they needed to improve and they managed to conserve the players that showed they had the level to play in this competition. And they have some young players who complete the project."

On Grealish being a doubt

"On one side he is a great player, a player who can unbalance. I always prefer that the opponents have their best players available because even if that fortifies a team, the best players make their teams more scary, more difficult to face. They are also a stimulus for us to face such players who are playing so well, to neutralise them. And looking to impose yourself over an opponent with their best players and not one who is debilitated but like I was saying before they are a team who have the players to cover any absences."

3-0 last time - what challenge this time?

"Aston Villa is a team that play very well, they are consistent. In that game we were in a very good version of ourselves. And in the 20 games since they have had ups and downs and so have we."

Similarities between Villa and Leeds?

"This is their second year back in the Premier League and they have made corrections, that is an advantage. Because corrections come from mistakes that have been made. It is impossible to come from the Championship to the Premier League and not make errors because the levels are totally different. I do see a certain similarity in the characteristic of the players that play in each position. The players that they have in each position, I am referring to the two full backs, the two centre backs, the defensive midfielder, the box to box and the offensive midfielder, the two wingers and the centre forward. They are players with similar characteristics to those that we have. If you see something similar in this then I do as well."

Koch - when expecting him back

"I suppose he will be back with us on the first week of March."

His rehab

"He is within the margins that were expected, Koch is a player who is very optimistic, very happy, very hard working. And also very serious in taking up his responsibilities. And I had the thought that he is going to be back with the same power or type of performances prior to his injury."

The latest on Kalvin's injury - is it more serious than you first thought?

"There is a phrase that I try to use frequently. There is a phrase that is made up, that states that the player will return subject to his evolution. When he got injured, like I told you, he had the options of having a quicker return but his injury is in his calf, it's a place that we have to avoid that he has a recurrence because the recurrence makes the situation worse so we are being very cautious so that when he returns he returns for definite."

On Llorente against Southampton

"For a player who has had a recurrence of injuries or injuries it it is very important to have 90 minutes."

On staying in the top half

"The goal is always to resolve the next game. And to resolve the next game means you usually maintain your position or improve it. And of course we hope to play sufficiently well to deserve to win. in the case that we get a positive result we will see how it reflects on the table."

On Leeds being 'nasty'

"If we made tactical fouls which stopped them from counter attacking then I understand his comment but I sincerely think that we didn't make them. And if you ask me the question to analyse the game and where we committed the fouls and with who and in what situations you will see whether what he is seeing is fair or not. I think that what the rules allow you have to permit it or what the rules permit we have to accept it but not to use the regulations. What I would prefer is to make the game in its best form. The rules can be used for the game to be fluid which is the objective for what the rules were created, to make the game more beautiful but they can also be used to within what is allowed to make the game less beautiful and this is legitimate. I sincerely don't think we did this but if the opponent's coach said this then perhaps the one who is in the wrong is me."

Is Europe a realistic target?

"I prefer to go game by game and analyse each game after it has been played."

How significant was the Villa win?

"Challenges in this league, we have one every single week and there are great performances followed by some satisfactory performances for every team. There are teams who go on a series of positive results or teams where the opposite happens. And to the same teams the same things happen back and forth successively. I understand where your question is coming from, a great performance like that has repercussions on the mood and spirit of the team but I also think that it is a competition that is so long and unstable that it makes it hard for me to believe the effects of one game last for a long time."