Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa has said he will pay the club’s fine for failing to control their players against Aston Villa because it is his responsibility.
Both clubs were charged with failing to ensure their players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion after a second-half melee following the controversial goal with which Leeds opened the scoring in the 1-1 Championship draw at Elland Road.
Mateusz Klich scored with a Villa player down injured on the pitch, and Bielsa then ordered Leeds to allow Villa to equalise unopposed.
Aston Villa forward Anwar El Ghazi was sent off for an altercation with Leeds striker Patrick Bamford before the equaliser. His red card was later overturned by the FA, while Bamford was banned for two games for deceiving the referee.
Speaking at a news conference ahead of third-placed Leeds’ game at relegated Ipswich on Sunday, Bielsa said he would pay the club’s fine for failing to control their players “because it’s my responsibility.”
The former Chile and Argentina coach added that he had paid an FA fine earlier in the season after a Leeds employee was caught spying at Derby County’s training ground.
“As we are clarifying things, I think it’s important to add two things not linked to this subject,” Bielsa said.
“The sanction I received that the federation [the FA] gave us — £200,000 — it’s a financial sanction the club received, not against me, but I am responsible for it and that’s why I paid from my pocket the sanction.”
And addressing questions about his future at the club, who could still be promoted to the Premier League through the playoffs, he added: “I would never say that if we stay in the Championship, I won’t stay here. I just said it was not the moment to talk about it.
“This club is more important than whether it plays in the Premier League, Championship or League One.”