Leeds United star quashes 'scandal' reports after heavy defeat

Leeds United midfielder Ilia Gruev has moved to deny reports he was involved in a ‘scandal’ when he represented Bulgaria during the September international break.

There had been reports in Bulgaria suggesting the Whites star had a fall-out with head coach Illian Iliev during last month’s international break and the midfielder was not named in the starting eleven for a loss against Georgia - but did come on as a second-half substitute despite reports of an injury after featuring in a defeat against Spain just days earlier.

Speaking after the defeat against Georgia, now-former Bulgaria head coach Iliev gave his take on the reports as he said: "Let the one who said there was a scandal explain. You saw that Ilia played the first match, entered the second match. He was absent [due to] physical problems that did not allow him to start the match. Do you think that if he had any problems, he would have been in the squad and then entered?”

Iliev was replaced by Aleksandar Dimitrov after that game and he also left Gruev out of his first game in charge as Bulgaria crashed to a 6-1 defeat against Turkey last week. However, Gruev was back in the starting eleven for Tuesday night’s 4-0 loss against European champions Spain and he assessed the speculation over the ‘scandal’ that he reportedly became involved in last month.

Speaking after Tuesday’s 4-0 away defeat against Spain, the Whites midfielder said: "I don't know where these [reports of] scandals come from. I didn't play [against] Turkey, but I wanted to play. This is the coach's decision that I have to accept. I was disappointed, but we are a team, we have to help each other.”

Gruev will hope to make his first Premier League appearance in three games when he returns to Leeds in time to be available for selection in Saturday’s visit to Burnley.

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