Ander Herrera has revealed how Marcelo Bielsa can make players vomit because he works them so hard in training.
Herrera spent two seasons under Bielsa at Athletic Bilbao when they finished runners up in the Europa League and Copa del Rey in 2012 and says the Leeds boss is a demanding taskmaster.
But the former Manchester United midfielder, who joined Paris St Germain in the summer, says Bielsa’s tough methods work because his players are so fit.
Bielsa insists on his players being in peak condition because he plays such high-intensity, possession football.
“He’s very demanding,” said Herrera. “The way he plays demands a lot from you in terms of effort and cardio capacity.
“I have seen some of the players coming off the pitch and vomiting because they are absolutely exhausted. But after when you play, you fly. You really fly.
“He told us the best way to defend is to keep attacking. The best way to get the victory is to score more goals and more goals.”
Bielsa is famous for putting his players through hell in pre-season and would often bring the Leeds squad in at eight in the morning before they would leave at seven in the evening.
He makes them weigh-in every morning to ensure they stay on their target weight and told the lean Luke Ayling to lose four kilos the first time they met.
Ayling claims Bielsa’s tough regime means the players cannot have a sneaky takeaway because their weight is being constantly monitored.
“Every morning we’re trying to make weight, which can get tiresome,” said the Leeds defender.
“You come home and you just want to have a little take-away or something because you can’t be bothered to cook and then you think ‘no, I’ve got to weigh in in the morning’.”
Herrera and Ayling were speaking in an Amazon Prime documentary, entitled ‘Take us Home: Leeds United’, which charts Bielsa’s first campaign at Leeds last season.
The documentary makers speak to everyone at the club from owner and chairman Andrea Radrizzani to fans during the rollercoaster campaign, including Spygate, which ultimately ended in play-off heartbreak.
Bielsa has revolutionised Leeds, transforming the club from top to bottom, and midfielder Adam Forshaw says he has been documenting the Argentinian’s methods because he feels they could help him should he move into coaching.
“He’s a breath of fresh air since he’s come into the club,” he said. “I’ve acted like a sponge and I’ve started making notes on things I’m learning and taking from him.”
‘Take us Home: Leeds United’ launches on Prime Video on August 16.
