‘Spygate’ feud with Leeds United’s Marcelo Bielsa is in the past, insists Frank Lampard

Lampard and Bielsa will face off for the first time since the 2019 Championship play-offs, when Lampard’s Derby came from behind and beat the Whites 4-3 at the end of a turbulent campaign.

Bielsa sent an intern to spy on Lampard’s Derby in training in January 2019, with the Argentinian later paying an EFL fine of £200,000.

Lampard insisted he would rather quit than emulate Bielsa’s subterfuge, with the Leeds boss eventually accepting such practices are not acceptable in the English game.

Bielsa stirred the pot however by delivering an hour-long PowerPoint presentation press conference, detailing how to analyse opponents in such depth as he had Derby.

With no little rancour between the two managers in their Championship exchanges, many had anticipated a frostiness between the pair – but Lampard has joined Bielsa in attempting to dampen down any talk of a lingering feud.

“It’s in the past, I’m certainly not going to dwell on it going into this game,” said Lampard.

“I’d rather dwell on the respect I have for him as a coach. It was a great news story, it had a lot to it, and now it’s gone.

“And again I just look at him and how well he did, he brought Leeds up the year after.

“They were probably the strongest Championship team the year we played them at Derby, so it was a very proud moment for myself actually to go up against him and win that game.

“But it’s a game long gone now, and they are now a team in great form. So I just see the football side of it now. I’m absolutely not concerned about what lessons he’s learned or not. Honestly, I’m definitely not going to hang on it for this game.”

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