In what is one of the most incredible phases of play in football one can remember, Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa allowed Aston Villa to score in a remarkable 1-1 draw at Elland Road on Sunday.
What added to the occasion was the fact that this result confirmed Sheffield United’s promotion to the Premier League.
Leeds fell five points behind The Blades with just one game remaining after the hosts stood aside to let Albert Adomah run from kick-off and equalise. This was after Leeds took the lead through Mateusz Klich, while Villa’s Jonathan Kodjia was down injured.
Bielsa had been confronted by Villa assistant boss John Terry as players on the field and both benches clashed following Klich’s controversial opener.
Villa’s Anwar El Ghazi was sent-off in the melee as the visitors’ club record 10-game winning streak came to an end.
The two sides could meet again in the playoff final if Villa overcome West Brom over two legs, while Bielsa’s men will have to rouse themselves from the disappointment of missing out on automatic promotion when they face Derby, Middlesbrough or Bristol City.
Sheffield United realistically secured their spot back in the top-flight with a 2-0 win over Ipswich on Saturday thanks to their much superior goal difference.
The first controversy erupted when it looked like Leeds were preparing to stop play with a Villa player down injured but that was not the case, with Klich running down the left flank to score the game’s first goal. That immediately resulted on a mass brawl on the pitch and in the sidelines and resulted in the sending off for the Villa player.
As the dust settled, Bielsa was seen in the sidelines talking to his players and later yelling out “give the goal, give the goal” at his entire team.
When play resumed, Adomah ran through the Leeds half only to be tackled by Leeds defender Jansson who was not happy conceding the goal. The Villa player scored all the same and the score was 1-1, as it eventually ended.
Watch the two incidents here below:
The most controversial goal of the season, bar NONE! 😲
— Soccer AM (@SoccerAM) April 28, 2019
Leeds United score whilst Aston Villa's Jonathan Kodjia is down injured 🤕
A mass brawl kicks off! 👊
Anwar El Ghazi gets sent off 🔴 pic.twitter.com/BHbLhr2uGb
The most incredible scenes we have EVER seen! You need to see this to believe it 😲
— Soccer AM (@SoccerAM) April 28, 2019
Marcelo Bielsa makes his team let Aston Villa score after Leeds United scored extremely controversially! 🤯
 pic.twitter.com/hzoiH4oRBR
Another version of the incident here:
#LepersAbroad | Bizarre but incredible scenes at Elland Road as Leeds United score when Aston Villa had stopped playing to help an injured player.
— Newell's Old Boys - English (@Newells_en) April 28, 2019
Bielsa then screams for #LUFC to give Villa back the goal to even it up so they walk the ball into the net.pic.twitter.com/iexOUsocwl