Chris Wilder has spoken of the huge respect he has for Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa.
The Sheffield United boss was speaking ahead of a mouth-watering derby clash at Bramall Lane on Sunday.
The game will be the first top flight meeting between the pair since 1994.
And Wilder has spoken of his respect for Bielsa - as well as reminisce about the classic encounters the two sides had back in the Championship promotion race two seasons ago.
Wilder said: "He is a character and he improves players and he plays his football in a way he wants to see football played.
"He is an outstanding figure in European and world football.
"He's managed some huge clubs in Europe and two national sides and now a huge club in English football.
"We went toe-to-toe with them in the two games that we had.
"I believe we were the better side when we lost at Bramall Lane and he will have said the same thing at Elland Road.
"Two tight games and I am not expecting anything different on Sunday.
"We had a tremendous battle with them and Norwich and it went all the way. We had to do a lot of things right in the run-up and pip an outstanding team to that second position.
"I am not surprised about the reaction of the players and the manager once he committed to having another season. They were always going to be favourites to go up and they comfortably won the division.
"I am sure from here on in they will grow and grow and grow."
