'No-one is screaming' - Leeds United's Mateusz Klich on Thorp Arch calm and Championship surprise package Millwall

Mateusz Klich says there is calm, at Leeds United, ahead of what they hope will be a storming return to form at home to Millwall on Tuesday night.
Mateusz Klich says everyone at Thorp Arch is calm and focused on what they need to do against Millwall (Pic: Simon Hulme)Mateusz Klich says everyone at Thorp Arch is calm and focused on what they need to do against Millwall (Pic: Simon Hulme)
Mateusz Klich says everyone at Thorp Arch is calm and focused on what they need to do against Millwall (Pic: Simon Hulme)

The attacking midfielder admits the city’s desperation for its club to return to the top flight means there is pressure on Marcelo Bielsa’s squad.

But despite a fanbase growing tense during a poor run of form and a thus-far fruitless search for a much-needed striker, the mood around the camp at Thorp Arch is quietly confident.

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“Obviously there’s a lot of pressure because every fan, every citizen of Leeds wants to go up to the Premier League,” said Klich.

“We do also.

“We are calm. We know what we have to do and we did our homework from last season. Everything is positive, no-one is angry, no-one is screaming.

“We still believe we can do it and we know we able to so everything is fine.”

His reassuring words come before an Elland Road clash with one of the Championship’s form teams and perhaps the surprise package of the last few months.

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The Lions have lost just one game in 13 league games, while tomorrow’s hosts Leeds have one win in seven Championship outings.

Klich credits Millwall for proving people wrong, in a division where predictions often go out the window.

“I think they’re playing good now, they’re gathering points, they’re very close to the play-off positions,” he said.

“No-one expected them to be there, but they are there and they win games.

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“This is football, the Championship is a crazy league, a very tough league.

“West Brom were the only team not losing but now they have dropped points, everyone is dropping points.

“We were sure that we were going to have a period where we would lose some games as well, I don’t think it’s possible to go through the Championship invincible. That’s part of the game.

“We need to win a game and then we’re all good.”

United are giving Millwall every respect in their preparations, with extra time to study their visitors thanks to a fixture-less weekend.

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But Klich says that while Bielsa’s staff ensure no stone is left unturned in their ultra-detailed pre-game analysis, the best way to nullify the threats posed by the Lions – who lost to Sheffield United in the FA Cup on Saturday – is for the Whites to simply play to their own strengths.

“We know about the opponents a lot,” said the Polish international.

“They send us videos about every player I could meet on the pitch. I know a lot about them, how they’re going to play and what we have to do to play against them.

“We focus on them but obviously we have our own game and if we play good it doesn’t matter how the opponent plays.

“We can beat anyone and we’ve showed that already. To beat Millwall it will take a lot of energy and I hope this week without a game is going to help us.”