Queens Park Rangers manager Marti Cifuentes has shared his candid verdict on Leeds United after his side’s 2-0 defeat at Elland Road. The loss marked QPR’s 11th consecutive match without a win, leaving Cifuentes’ team in a tough spot as they continue to struggle for form.
QPR were missing several key players, including Ilias Chair, Karamoko Dembele, and Jack Colback, and struggled to pose any real threat to Leeds United. On another day, Leeds could have easily won by a more comfortable margin, especially after Jayden Bogle’s early goal.
It wasn’t until the dying moments, however, that QPR’s fate was sealed. In the 95th minute, Joel Piroe showed the composure Leeds had been waiting for, netting a second goal to put the match beyond reach.
After the match, Marti Cifuentes acknowledged the stark contrast between his team’s current performance and their dominant 4-0 win over Leeds at the end of last season. QPR were outplayed at Elland Road, managing just 31% possession and only four shots throughout the 90 minutes.
Speaking candidly, Cifuentes admitted that his side would have needed to be “perfect” to compete with what he described as a “very good” Leeds team. It was clear that QPR were a far cry from the side that ended Leeds’ automatic promotion hopes last season.
Cifuentes was full of praise for Leeds after the match, stating, “Definitely Leeds were the better team in the game. We tried to compete at the highest level we could. We knew that Leeds is a very good team.”
He highlighted Leeds’ impressive build-up play, saying, “They have the capacity to build very well with two centre halves and two midfielders dropping deep, and then full backs really high and a lot of players in the pockets, we knew about their capacity in the build-up.”
Acknowledging his team’s struggles, Cifuentes continued, “We knew that we had to do almost the perfect defensive game out of possession, and then use our chances. It’s true that when we arrived in the final third, when you have situations like the few we got today, you need to have a high level of accuracy if you want to get something from a game like today.”
Cifuentes expressed his disappointment, saying, “I am sad for the guys because we are in a very difficult trend, but we played against a very good team.” His sympathy for his players was clear, as they continue to struggle, but he acknowledged Leeds’ quality as a major factor in the defeat.
Daniel Farke was full of praise for Marti Cifuentes after the Leeds win, acknowledging the tough situation QPR find themselves in. However, Farke backed Cifuentes to turn things around, saying, “Everyone expects us to win. It’s not easy. We had to be on it. Electrifying first half. Took a deserved lead. Goal of the season given offside. Fantastic goal. If they are in doubt, a flag always goes up.”
Farke praised QPR’s resilience last season, and despite their current struggles, he believes Cifuentes’ quality as a manager will see them rise much higher in the table as the season progresses.
Farke continued, “Second half, central players have to carry all the burden because of the injuries. Had to adapt our style and not give chances away. QPR are struggling with injuries, but they will finish in a better position than they are.”
He also highlighted QPR’s defensive resilience, noting, “We gave just two wide free-kicks away.” Farke believes that despite their current struggles, QPR will bounce back and end the season in a better position.