Leeds United’s incredible defence has seen them break into the top two this season.
Indeed, while the Whites have struggled in front of goal, their defence has allowed them to continue picking up points as they’ve conceded fewer goals than any other team in the division.
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However, that may all be about to change as one of their most important players could be handed a lengthy ban.
Reports have stated that Kiko Casilla could be slapped with a 12 game suspension if he is found guilty of racially abusing Jonathan Leko, and with Phil Hay saying that he believes he will be cited, things aren’t looking good for the Spaniard.
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The stopper has been key to the Whites’ incredible defensive record, and it’s unknown how they’d get on without him as he’s played every league game for the club this term.
We asked our team of writers to give their verdicts on how the Whites will get on without the former Real Madrid man if he is banned.
Vijievan Jeevathayalan
“Make no mistake about it, losing Kiko Casilla for a considerable amount of time would be a hammer blow to Leeds’ promotion chances.
“The 33-year-old has been an ever-present for the Whites this season in the Championship, playing every single game so far.
“He has helped keep eight clean sheets in the league, and his save percentage of 81.4% is the highest at any point in his career.
“The Spaniard brings a wealth of experience from his time in La Liga with Real Madrid, and when the going gets tough as it invariably does, you need your experienced players to hold the fort.
“If the veteran is ruled out for a number of games, Marcelo Bielsa’s side lose not just their number one goalkeeper, but a valuable presence in the dressing room too. It will be up to their core defenders to step their game up even more so as to ensure their replacement shot-stopper just doesn’t face as many shots.”
Billy Meyers “To be honest, I think this will be hugely decisive for Leeds. I wouldn’t be saying that if Marcelo Bielsa’s side were scoring bundles of goals, but they are the joint-lowest scorers in the top eleven with just 19 goals scored in 15 games, so it can safely be stated that Leeds pride themselves on a solid backline rather than outscoring their opponents – they have the best defensive record in the Championship with just eight goals conceded. “In that case, Kiko Casilla’s absence could prove costly, especially given how tight things are at the top of the second tier – just seven points separate 1st from 15th.” Lewis Blain
“Losing any member of a backline that ranks as the Championship’s best defence is obviously going to play havoc in some way, but I don’t think it will impact Leeds as much as it would other clubs.
“To have conceded just eight goals from their 15 matches this season is quite a phenomenal effort and Kiko Casilla has clearly been a major part of that – I remember him practically earning the three points against West Brom not too long ago.
“But Marcelo Bielsa and his management staff will have already prepared for this eventuality and in Illan Meslier they have a player with huge potential, not least a youngster whose physical presence is enough to make the goal look much smaller than it is as he stands at 6 foot 6.
“The 19-year-old may be inexperienced but he’s been capped at international level as he was France’s number one during the 2019 FIFA U20 World Cup. He can prove his worth to the Elland Road faithful and show why his loan should be made permanent with an extended run in the side.”
Charles Jones
“Losing Kiko Casilla for an extended period of time would ultimately cause a few problems for Leeds, but these issues could easily by subsided by an improvement going forward.
“Yes, Leeds have the best defence in the Championship, but their attack has faltered in recent weeks, so they need to improve that before they become concerned about losing Casilla.
“The former Real Madrid man’s absence could cost Leeds a couple of extra goals in the period they’re without him, but if they can sort out their attack it shouldn’t be too much of an issue.
“However, if they can’t find their shooting boots Casilla’s absence could be costly, and ultimately the points they may drop could affect their chances of automatic promotion.”