Leeds United are preparing for life back in the big time following their incredible Championship title win last season. Recruitment chiefs are already hard at work making plans to strengthen Daniel Farke’s squad and will need to get virtually every decision right to give the German a proper shot at survival.
If Leeds want to keep themselves from relegation then their incredible home form under Farke will need to continue, and the players can bank on Elland Road being at its fervent best throughout. The iconic stadium is famed for its passionate atmosphere and has regularly been labelled a difficult place to go.
There has been plenty of managerial change since Leeds left the Premier League two years ago but a number of top-flight bosses have experienced that famous Elland Road atmosphere before. Take a look below to see what they had to say on it.
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1. Mikel Arteta - Arsenal
Arsenal grabbed a 1-0 win at Elland Road in October 2022, after which Arteta said: “Wow, hectic, it’s always really intense here in this stadium. The atmosphere that is created. I think in the first half, we were special in many moments. I think we should have put the game 2 or 3-0 up. We didn’t do that and the second half was a different story. Credit to Leeds, they came out in the second half and created problems.” | AFP via Getty Images
![Following a 0-0 draw in January 2023, Brentford boss Frank said: “I think Jesse [Marsch] and his staff are doing a very good job. They play with great intensity and very front-footed, so you need to handle that pressure and get out of that. This is a very difficult place to play, I think Leeds gave everything, I think my players gave everything, I think it was a fantastic battle where the two teams unfortunately cancelled each other out.”](https://www.thestar.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOjFiZDQ5YTkxLWJkZGMtNDczZC04Mjk4LWE5MjY2NDNkZTA1ZDphMDdlMTM4Ny04MDY3LTQ4NjUtODhhYy1iYjQ0NGJmNWFlZDI=.jpg?crop=4:3&trim=&width=800)
2. Thomas Frank - Brentford
Following a 0-0 draw in January 2023, Brentford boss Frank said: “I think Jesse [Marsch] and his staff are doing a very good job. They play with great intensity and very front-footed, so you need to handle that pressure and get out of that. This is a very difficult place to play, I think Leeds gave everything, I think my players gave everything, I think it was a fantastic battle where the two teams unfortunately cancelled each other out.” Photo: Stu Forster
![Parker had nothing to say on Elland Road following Burnley's 1-0 win last season, but he did speak about the famed atmosphere during his spell in charge of Fulham back in 2020. He said: "There’s certain hostile atmospheres and environments that you can thrive off and Leeds is that place, the fans are superb up there so you can look at [an empty stadium during Covid] both ways. You can look at it in that it could take the edge off them [Leeds], but at the same time you could look at it the other way that sometimes it’s those hostile environments that you want to go into and can make the difference."](https://www.thestar.co.uk/jpim-static/image/2025/01/26/11/54/01J7R79C2BCZTDD4501D5KJ960.jpg?crop=4:3&trim=&width=800)
3. Scott Parker - Burnley
Parker had nothing to say on Elland Road following Burnley's 1-0 win last season, but he did speak about the famed atmosphere during his spell in charge of Fulham back in 2020. He said: "There’s certain hostile atmospheres and environments that you can thrive off and Leeds is that place, the fans are superb up there so you can look at [an empty stadium during Covid] both ways. You can look at it in that it could take the edge off them [Leeds], but at the same time you could look at it the other way that sometimes it’s those hostile environments that you want to go into and can make the difference." | Danny Lawson/PA Wire
4. Enzo Maresca - Chelsea
Maresca will come to Elland Road as Chelsea boss for the first time next season, with difficult memories of his previous trip as Leicester City boss. Following a dramatic 3-1 defeat during the 2023/24 campaign, he said: "In the last 10 minutes in this kind of game, in this stadium, it's easy when you concede the goal that you drop a little bit or mentally they are better than us. After we conceded they were better than us in terms of mentality. I don't think tonight mentally we were weak because we controlled and dominated. In this stadium it's easy that mentally they feel better than us after we concede. We have been able to decrease the environment but for the last 10 minutes it was unbelievable.” | Getty Images
5. Marco Silva - Fulham
Ahead of a trip to Leeds in 2022, Fulham boss Silva said: "Even if they didn’t take the best results the last few games, all of us know what it means to play at Elland Road, what type of atmosphere will be there. Everyone that loves football loves that type of environment. It’s another good opportunity for us to show our quality, our personality as a team, to deal well with that type of environment." | Getty Images
6. Pep Guardiola - Manchester City
Manchester City beat Leeds 4-0 in April 2022, after which Guardiola said: “Since I arrive I hear many times about what Elland Road means. The previous time we came here Marcelo Bielsa was manager it was behind closed doors so I couldn’t feel it. Today I felt it so I know why this is so special. At the end 4-0 down fighting to stay in the Premier League and singing chanting showing support. Leeds is one of the greatest teams in this country and I have a special sympathy for the fact Marcelo was here and hopefully they can stay but that is why we spoke it will be tough today.” | AFP via Getty Images