Leeds United goalkeeper Illan Meslier has issued a message thanking fans for their support after his absence from the squad to face Brighton & Hove Albion was confirmed.
The Frenchman has not been named in Leeds' matchday squad to face the Seagulls this afternoon, with Kiko Casilla starting and 19-year-old Italian stopper Elia Caprile on the bench.
"Sorry to miss today's [match], behind you all the ways boys. Thank you to the fans for all the support, I'm recovering well," Meslier posted on an Instagram Story.
"Please stay safe, See you soon"
The club have yet to confirm the reason for Meslier's absence as the 20-year-old misses his first Premier League game of the season.
Leeds now have a ten-day break until their next match after their game against Southampton that was due to be played on Tuesday was postponed so that Saints can play their FA Cup third round fixture against Shrewsbury Town, who have been hit by a Covid-19 outbreak.
Casilla started last weekend's FA Cup third round defeat to Crawley Town and was criticised over the League Two side's second goal.
The former Real Madrid man has not played in the league since last season's dead rubber at Derby County when the Championship title had been secured and will now make his first Premier League appearance.
During his pre-Brighton press conference Bielsa was quick to defend the Spaniard in the face of mounting criticism.
"I fully trust in Kiko,” he said. “And I will do the utmost possible to help him. I think the treatment Kiko has suffered ignores the fact he is a player who played 40 games for Real Madrid.
“Apart from whether his performances were good or bad, we forget all the things he has done to get the team promoted.
“People also don't consider how he's being treated publicly given the situation he had to go through when he was suspended for eight games and what he went through.
“I believe in him, his team-mates believe in him and we are close to him because we value him as a person and as a footballer.
“We accept what people think of him in different parts of the media and the people, but we know his past and we know his conditions and we care about him a lot as a human being.”
