Leeds United’s pre-season campaign rolled on with a gritty 1-1 draw against Villarreal at a packed Elland Road, offering fans a glimpse of what’s to come next season as the Whites gear up for their Premier League return against Everton on the opening day.
Daniel Farke’s side showed flashes of promise but also areas needing polish, particularly in breaking down a well-organised Villarreal outfit. The match saw Leeds dominate possession in spells, with Willy Gnonto and Brenden Aaronson causing headaches, but it was **Joel Piroe**’s second-half equaliser that salvaged a draw after Etta Eyong’s header put the visitors ahead.
Farke’s 4-3-3 shape, shifting to a compact 4-5-1 out of possession, showed positives, but also showed glimpses of frailties that will need to be adapted throughout the season. With several key players absent, it also exposed a lack of cutting-edge up top. Piroe, however, continues to stake his claim as the club’s sharpest striker, bagging another goal to cap a prolific pre-season. Next up, Leeds head to Dublin to face AC Milan in their final friendly, a chance to iron out holes tactically, before the real action begins.
First half
The game kicked off with a frenetic pace, and by the 14th minute, a crunching collision involving Gnonto set the tone for a physical contest, briefly pausing play as the winger dusted himself off.
Leeds, settling into a disciplined 4-5-1 when out of possession, leaned on goalkeeper Karl Darlow, who pulled off a stunning 1v1 save in the 16th minute to deny Villarreal a breakthrough.
By the 19th minute, Leeds were bossing possession in the opposition half, with Gnonto’s trickery down the left causing constant problems for Villarreal’s backline. However, a defensive lapse on 22 minutes saw Pascal Struijk make a vital interception to thwart a dangerous cross from Yeremy Pino, who had exploited space after Isaac Schmidt switched off, prompting an exasperated gesture from Joe Rodon. Brenden Aaronson showcased his defensive nous later on, brilliantly winning the ball back from Villarreal’s lively Cardona, who repeatedly found space down the left flank. Cardona’s threat persisted, as his cross moments later, was blocked for a corner.
Nicolas Pepe, who was quiet on the right, finally sparked into life in the 44th minute, whipping in a pinpoint cross for Gerard Moreno, whose close-range header was comfortably saved by Darlow, meaning the teams went into the break level at 0-0.
Second half
Farke rang the changes at halftime, bringing on Illan Meslier, Jaka Bijol, Ilia Gruev, and Joel Piroe for Darlow, Struijk, Sean Longstaff, and Lukas Nmecha, injecting fresh legs and intent.
The substitutions paid dividends defensively early on, with Bijol making a superb challenge to stop Buchanan from breaking through. However, Villarreal struck first on 61 minutes when Etta Eyong nodded in a rebound after Meslier parried Moreno’s header, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead.
Leeds hit back quickly, with Aaronson turning provider on 66 minutes, darting down the right byline and delivering a cross that Piroe calmly slotted home to level the score at 1-1. The momentum swung quite quickly, as substitute Largie Ramazani nearly put Leeds ahead two minutes later, his shot saved sharply by Villarreal’s keeper after Piroe’s clever hold-up play.
Leeds’ defence held firm under pressure, with Bijol’s heroic block on 80 minutes - using his back while grounded - denying a Villarreal chance, though the follow-up shot blazed over. A late scare saw Gudmundsson require treatment after a mix-up with Meslier, but Leeds pushed for a winner.
In the 89th minute, substitute Harry Gray’s header was tipped onto the bar, only for the offside flag to deny him. The 1-1 draw felt fair, with Leeds showing resilience but needing more sharpness as they head into their final pre-season test against AC Milan.