What Victor Orta has told Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa about Aitor Karanka

Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa (left) and director of football Victor Orta (right).

Orta, who worked closely with Reds boss Karanka during his time at Middlesbrough in which he won promotion to the Premier League with the Teessiders, took up his role at Elland Road in the summer of 2017 following the arrival of chairman Andrea Radrizzani.

The Argentine works closely with Orta to identify new transfer targets to bring into the club and admitted that the pair had spoken about his counterpart on Saturday in gushing terms but not specifically about the league clash.

"Victor always praises Karanka," Bielsa told his pre-match press conference.

"He has the highest of regard for Karanka, I also have the highest of regard for Karanka, not because I know him but because I saw the profile he gives to his teams.

"In this precise case we did not talk about what you mentioned [the game], but the things that say most about the head coaches are the teams."

Forest make the trip to LS11 this evening to take on the Whites in front of the Sky Sports cameras under the lights at Elland Road with kick-off set for 17:30.