Pontus Jansson claims Leeds and Derby “hate” each other because of the bad blood between them.
Spygate overshadows their play-off semi-final when a member of Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa’s staff was caught snooping on Derby training before they met last in January.
Rams manager Frank Lampard was furious with Bielsa and Mason Bennett claims they are using the controversy as motivation for tomorrow’s first leg.
Jansson knows Derby want revenge and says Leeds dislike them too.
“First of all there have been two good football games, especially from our side,” said the defender. “We played good football against them.
Marcelo Bielsa in furious outburst at reporter for asking if Leeds will spy on Derby again
“They will be two more good games with good football and high intensity and probably a lot of goals. Hopefully Leeds will be the winners again.
“Everything else outside of that has no meaning. They hate us probably and we hate them, that’s how we go into the game.”
Jansson then admitted hate was too strong a word, but he says there is a bad feeling between the clubs.
“Hate is not the right word, that’s just me as a football supporter using the wrong word,” said the Swedish international.
“Because of everything that happened and beating them twice and because we are Leeds and because what Leeds are in England, maybe hate is not the right word, but you understand what I mean.”
Bielsa says Jansson is doubtful for tomorrow’s first leg at the iPro Stadium because of an ankle injury, but the centre-half has vowed to “play in a wheelchair” if necessary.
Bielsa revealed last week he personally paid Leeds’ £200,000 spygate fine and admits the bad blood between the clubs “could be” motivation for Derby.
While that controversy rumbles on, the Argentinian wants to avoid a repeat of the row when his side scored against Aston Villa while they had a player down injured.
Bielsa sportlingly ordered his players to allow Villa to equalise straight from the restart and says they will not kick the ball out if one of Derby’s players is hurt tomorrow.
Championship play-off dates confirmed: Leeds vs Derby and West Brom vs Aston Villa
“We understand if we have one player down the opponents don’t have to kick the ball off the pitch,” he said.
“We also think if a player from the opposing team is down, we won’t interrupt the game by putting the ball out.
“We all know that the person who has to take this decision is the referee. But we don’t want to disappoint anyone, not the fans or the other team.
“This has nothing to do with the Aston Villa situation because in that situation, we feinted that we were going to put the ball out and didn’t do it. We’re not talking about that.
“We just want to find a solution to clear up this doubt and we will tell the referee before the game and the head coach of Derby County and the captain of Derby County that we will behave like this, that we will behave by the rules.”
