Ex-spiller: Francisco «Kiko» Casilla

[Promotion 2010]

Signet

Leeds United
#LUFC are delighted to announce the signing of Real Madrid goalkeeper @KikoCasilla13 on a four-and-a-half year deal at Elland Road



LEEDS UNITED SIGN KIKO CASILLA

Leeds United are delighted to announce the signing of Real Madrid goalkeeper Kiko Casilla.

The experienced 32-year-old has signed a four-and-a-half year deal at Elland Road, running until the summer of 2023.

Casilla started his career at Real Madrid, before moving to Espanyol in 2007, from where he had loan stints at Cádiz CF and FC Cartagena.

He went onto establish himself as Espanyol’s first choice goalkeeper and his performances led to a first international cap for Spain in November 2014.

At the end of the 2014/15 La Liga campaign, Casilla was re-signed by Real Madrid, eight years after leaving for Espanyol.

Over the past three seasons, Casilla has made 43 appearances for Los Blancos in all competitions.

He played games in each of Real’s UEFA Champions League successes in 2016, 2017 and 2018 and was also between the sticks for their UEFA Super Cup Final success in 2016.

On top of this, Real also won La Liga, the Supercopa de España, three FIFA Club World Cup’s and a second UEFA Super Cup during his second stint at the club.

Casilla becomes Marcelo Bielsa’s first signing of the January transfer window and has been handed the number 33 shirt.

The addition will add competition amongst the goalkeeping ranks and he will now fight with Bailey Peacock-Farrell and Will Huffer for a starting berth at Elland Road.

[auren]

4,5 års deal i tillegg! Wow!

auren

[Bromancer]

Hurra og velkommen til Kiko 

[Killa]

Herrlig med en ny rutinert keeper inn i troppen! dette har vi savna denne sesongen... Spent på hvor god han er, noen uttalte at han var topp 5 av aktive spanske keepere... Hvis det stemmer bør dette bli bra!!

Men det melder seg så klart et par spørsmål umiddelbart: Er han match-fit? Kan han engelsk? Når tar han plassen til BPF?

[auren]

Herrlig med en ny rutinert keeper inn i troppen! dette har vi savna denne sesongen... Spent på hvor god han er, noen uttalte at han var topp 5 av aktive spanske keepere... Hvis det stemmer bør dette bli bra!!

Men det melder seg så klart et par spørsmål umiddelbart: Er han match-fit? Kan han engelsk? Når tar han plassen til BPF?

Han får nøye seg med benken på lørdag, men satser på at han står mellom stengene hjemme mot Rotherham 

En veldig solid signering. Håper på enda en til av samme kaliber. Ikke meg i mot om vi kjøper denne Daniel James fra Swansea 

auren

[Stut og Fjærkre]

Kanon

Ser i presentasjonen fra klubben at han omtales som "Marcello Bielsas signering", tolker det som en klar indikasjon på hvem som bestemmer på ER.

[Xern]

Dette blir utrolig bra! For en vanvittig signering. Fyren kan nok ikke engelsk, snakket spansk i intervjuet på facebook/twitter. Regner med at BPF forblir førstevalget inntil videre, Kiko skal tross alt rekke å lære seg spillestil, å kjenne lagkameratene sine samt at han må få inn minst det grunnleggende i Engelsk. Tror nok at Pablo kan bli en stor kompis, også er det jo ikke bare Kiko som trenger å lære seg språk  (Bielsa)

Vel så bra er det at vi nå virkelig er styrket på en posisjon vi tidligere var utsatt i, samt at vi nå kan gå videre og jakte andre. Dette er lønn for strevet, Orta, Bielsa & co! Ventingen på den første signeringen var ikke mye bortkastet denne gangen 

[Promotion 2010]

WACCOE

Next level signing  ALAW

[Promotion 2010]

One of Spain's top goalkeepers? Real Madrid stopper Kiko Casilla profiled as Leeds United complete deal

Phil HayPublished: 09:22
Updated: 10:55 Thursday 17 January 2019

Much of Kiko Casilla’s career has been devoted to Real Madrid, a club whose advances no player turns down, but the feeling in Spain is that the comfort zone of the Bernabeu kept his talent slightly under wraps.


Real’s power has shown signs of fading badly in the past six months but they expect the highest standards of performance in Madrid and a reserve goalkeeper is one of the few players who can get by without making waves.

Kiko Casilla in action for Real Madrid last season.
Kiko Casilla in action for Real Madrid last season.
Casilla committed his first four years as a professional to Real without playing once, a spectator behind the immovable Iker Casillas, and he returned there in 2015 after a successful hiatus at Espanyol. Real paid £5m to bring him back but made it clear that they were signing him as second-choice. He played 30 times in three-and-a-half years as a second spell in Madrid took him past his 30th birthday.

Now 32, Casilla has 136 La Liga appearances to his record - a relatively small number for keeper of his age - but despite his role as perennial understudy, there are few Spanish goalkeepers who observers in his homeland rate above him. David De Gea is one and Kepa Arrizabalaga another but Leeds United, at face value, have landed a signing whose reputation is out of their league. “Kepa, De Gea are ahead of him,” journalist Guillem Balague told the YEP, “but I would say that he is one of the top five Spanish goalkeepers.”

Leeds United are watching you - Phil Hay's take on astonishing insight into the world of Marcelo Bielsa
Madrid’s academy developed Casilla, a stocky, imposing figure at 6’3”, after sourcing him from Nastic as a teenager but despite him featuring in three successive Champions League wins as substitute cover for Keylor Navas - the most recent under Zinedine Zidane last season - his best and most productive years played out at Espanyol.

The Catalonian club took Casilla on a free transfer in 2007, at a time when he had just turned 20. They loaned him out twice to the lower leagues but he was blooded properly in 2011-12, Mauricio Pochettino’s last full season as head coach. By 2013 Casilla had established himself in a side who were mid-table in La Liga and the following year he was capped by Spain for the first and only time to date.

Balague said Casilla was part of the “first generation” of Spanish keepers who, with the instruction and guidance of coaches like Pep Guardiola, embraced the notion of expanding their game and playing with their feet. It was what Marcelo Bielsa asked of his keepers at Leeds after becoming head coach in June and it is what he will ask of Casilla once his transfer to Elland Road goes through. Bielsa was specific about the type of signing he wanted this month and Newcastle United’s Karl Darlow and Fulham’s Fabri - another Spaniard - were both considered as alternatives.

Marcelo Bielsa shares brilliant Barcelona and Pep Guardiola story during Leeds United 'spygate' briefing
Balague said: “I’m an Espanyol fan and when he came to Espanyol we didn’t know much about him. What he proved to be early on was a very good, instinctive shot stopper. He was quick with his reactions, he saved a lot of points and he became one of the stars of Espanyol. Eventually Real Madrid needed him as a number two and so he went, going back home to Real Madrid.

“By that point he was in the generation, perhaps the first generation of Spanish goalkeepers, who were complete players, complete goalkeepers. In my mind he was one of the early ones who seemed comfortable playing with the ball, especially with his right foot, anticipating actions. He wasn’t a reactive goalkeeper but a proactive one.”

For Bielsa, the ability of his keeper to direct play from the back and distribute the ball accurately over different ranges is as crucial as the basics of goalkeeping itself. Leeds concede the fewest shots on goal per game in the Championship - 9.6 over 27 games so far - and Bailey Peacock-Farrell’s average of two saves in every match is one of the lowest amongst goalkeepers who are playing regularly in the league.

How the footballing world reacted to Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa's 'spygate' briefing
Leeds reached the basis of a deal for Casilla last week, prior to their win over Derby County on Friday, and Casilla flew to England on Tuesday after sitting out a training session with Real Madrid earlier in the day. Leeds scheduled his medical for Wednesday afternoon and confirm his arrival this morning, signing Casilla to a permanent four-and-a-half year contract. At 32, it marks his first switch away from his native Spain.

“He was strong enough on aerial balls but I feel that with every goalkeeper who comes to England, that’s the thing they’ve got to get used to,” Balague said. “Where it’s a foul anywhere else in the world, referees don’t give a foul (in England) and goalkeepers are less protected, even in the six-yard box.

“He’ll have to get used to that but like everybody who goes into a new job, he’ll need that time for adaptation and due to the circumstances at Leeds, I think you’ll see him in the line-up pretty soon.

“Tactically he’s intelligent. He knows what the team requires and he adapts to that very well. He made it to the national side but he decided to go for the comfort zone, if you like, of going to Real Madrid. If he hadn’t, he could have been a regular in one of the top five teams in Spain.”

[Promotion 2010]

Analyse av Casilla:

https://medium.com/leeds-united-fc-blog/analysing-leeds-uniteds-newest-recruit-kiko-casilla-13aead882876


Analysing Leeds United’s newest recruit: Kiko Casilla
Go to the profile of Jamie Kemp
Jamie Kemp
Jan 14

via Getty Images
Roughly two months since Jamal Blackman’s loan was cut short by an unfortunate injury, it appears Leeds United have the found the answer to their goalkeeping issue. Kiko Casilla â€" or Real Madrid goalkeeper Kiko Casilla, as every transfer site will no doubt be happy to stress, racking up the easy clicks upon confirmation â€" is on his way to the Championship, having decided he’s not interested in trying to earn a fourth consecutive Champions League winners medal. Three will do, for now.
On a serious note, the signing of Casilla looks to be a quite spectacular piece of business on the part of Leeds, who had initially been pushed back on their interest in more local targets â€" namely Newcastle’s Karl Darlow and Fulham’s Fabricio, before turning their attentions to the squad of the reigning European champions. Indeed, key members within the management of Leeds United â€" namely sporting director Victor Orta â€" have continually stressed that January is a difficult time to recruit the right types of players, but the signing of Kiko Casilla could well prove to be an exception to the rule.

Experience
For a 32-year-old goalkeeper with 169 club appearances at the top-flight level, Casilla has a significant grounding in the game for what he will ultimately be at Leeds â€" a Championship player. Although he was never installed as the starter at Real Madrid, nor was he ever expected to, Casilla has still been a part of an historically good side at European level, and has featured in a number of high-stakes games for the club as they’ve looked to manage fighting on all fronts, beyond their usual domestic work.
Between 2012â€"13 and 2014â€"15, only two goalkeepers in La Liga played more minutes than Casilla at Espanyol â€" Barcelona’s Claudio Bravo and Athletic Club’s Gorka Iraizoz. It was during this period that Casilla cemented himself as one of the most well-rounded goalkeepers in Spain’s top-flight, while he was also considered a genuine leader within the Espanyol setup for his level of consistency and general performance. At the time of his move to Real Madrid, it was reasonable to think that he could have signed for a side with higher aspirations than Espanyol, but one where he could be the unequivocal #1; something he certainly wasn’t guaranteed in the Spanish capital.
“Real Madrid are a train that only passes once in your life,” Casilla said after signing for the club; one he’d supported as a kid and had played for as a youngster, always with the dream of playing at the Santiago Bernabeu. “For Kiko, it’s a unique opportunity. An offer like this to play for a team of this level has to be taken with your eyes closed, and you can’t reject it,” said then-Espanyol manager Sergio González. After an impressive three year stretch as the #1 at the Catalan club, Casilla’s sentimentalism and desire to be a part of one of the world’s biggest clubs could hardly be denigrated.

In joining the current Leeds setup, Casilla will instantly become one of the most senior, well-travelled players. Alongside the eternal Pablo Hernández, the Spanish pair will represent the large portion of top-flight experience within the current Leeds team, with both players having made 100+ appearances within the big five European leagues. More importantly, that experience on the part of Casilla will be added to the defensive side of the team, in the position where Leeds most desperately needed to add an established professional alongside Bailey Peacock-Farrell.

Goalkeeping ability
Since earning the mantle of Espanyol’s number one goalkeeper in 2012, Casilla has proven himself to be one of the more well-rounded stoppers in Spain’s top-flight. And at the height of a goalkeepers influence, few things endear them to onlookers as much as their shot-stopping ability.
Casilla isn’t a goalkeeper with highlight reels built on the back of jaw-dropping flying saves, but relative to his 6'3, well-built frame, he’s certainly reliable as a shot-stopper who can make reflex saves and protect his goal well. Quite often bigger goalkeepers can be accused of not playing big, as in they aren’t able to maximise the effect of their size in various duties, but Casilla has consistently made a fair case to be considered outside of that bracket.

If we look at Casilla’s performance in terms of save percentage â€" the number of shots on target he saves â€" the goalkeeper has been largely dependable through his time as a top-flight player in Spain. Save percentage figures aren’t the ultimate indicator of a goalkeeper’s shot-stopping ability from an analytical perspective, but when used over a long period of time â€" accounting for a large number of shots on target faced â€" it does a serviceable job of painting a general picture in this respect.
Since the start of the 2011â€"12 season when Casilla began to emerge as a starter at top-flight level, he has saved 69% of the shots on target that he’s faced in La Liga. Putting that into the context of goalkeepers playing across Europe’s big five leagues in the same period, that ranks Casilla 64th out of 150 goalkeepers that have faced a minimum of 300 shots on target â€" or in other words, slightly above average among top-flight stoppers.

Viewing Casilla’s save abilities through stats does leave some factors unmentioned, however. Take Keylor Navas for example â€" Real Madrid’s (rightful) #1 in their three Champions League winning seasons â€" who is a smaller goalkeeper, but has a significant advantage in terms of lateral movement and ability to make quicker reflexes when needed. To compare Casilla with a player like Navas on shot-stopping alone obviously leaves him trailing, but if we judge his ability as a bigger goalkeeper (6'3) who has the advantage in stature and can perform adequately in more reflexive actions, that’s a measure more in line with what Leeds are looking for. (It’s also worth reiterating Casilla is being judged against top-flight goalkeepers, so average relative to that level means a lot more considering he’s about to join a Championship club.)

Another main area in which Leeds fans will be keen to assess Casilla is in his general command of the penalty area. This can be a pretty subjective area to analyse in goalkeepers, and usually revolves around a willingness to take charge of situations aerially â€" be it from set pieces into the box or general crosses from open play.

The expectancy of ‘commanding the area’ almost always seems to signify looking to catch the ball and kill any danger before it has chance to evolve, when in reality it’s probably more about deciding when and when not to get involved with dealings in the penalty area. Similarly, that willingness to try and overrule events can be down to preference of the particular coaching staff â€" some managers will want their goalkeepers to try and claim deliveries directly; some will prefer them to stay home and not interfere with their defenders.

In the 2014â€"15 season â€" Casilla’s last at Espanyol â€" he was among the goalkeepers with the highest percentage of crosses claimed in La Liga (7%), although it’s difficult to dissect whether this is more relative to quality of catches or merely the frequency. At the least, it highlights a certain willingness on the part of Casilla to be responsible in this area of the game.

What we do know is that the Catalan has the frame of a goalkeeper who should be able to impose himself aerially when needed. Add to that the experience of a 32-year-old who has played regularly at the top level, and we bring into play that finer degree of decision-making when it comes to dealing with the varying types of situations in the penalty area.

Distribution
In the case of Casilla’s skills with the ball, we have to separate those valuations across his time at Espanyol and Real Madrid; two clubs across two different periods in which the styles and objectives were starkly different.

Through Casilla’s three seasons as the firm number one at Espanyol, they were a team with few frills when it came to building play from the goalkeeper; most often just playing long into the opposition half, where the team could look to profit from the hold-up play of striker Cristhian Stuani (one of the best in the league in that role). Despite that, the Catalan goalkeeper was still considered to be solid in the fewer moments with the ball at his feet.

Contrast that with his time at Real Madrid and we see a much different remit for Casilla. The 32-year-old was much more active in constructing play â€" stemming from the orders of Rafael Benitez and Zinedine Zidane â€" as well as in line with the club’s general dominance. Real Madrid have the quality to be able to advance the ball successfully from their goalkeeper, even if not quite to the extent of other European giants (Barcelona, Manchester City etc).

Destination of Casilla’s goal kicks across Espanyol and Real Madrid spells (La Liga)
On the above graphic, we can see the degree to which Espanyol played long balls into the opposition half, and then how much more specificity was required while playing for Real Madrid. At his last club we see an increased similarity between the patterns of play that Bailey Peacock-Farrell has been tasked with this season, where Leeds look to avoid having to go long into the teeth of the opposition’s defence. Even in the defensive third of the field, the importance of choosing and executing the right line of distribution has significant value within Bielsa’s system.

As as an example of this, the below clip from Real Madrid’s game against Spurs at Wembley shows how such an advantage can be gained. With Harry Kane applying direct pressure to Casilla and Christian Eriksen well-placed to hassle Sergio Ramos as the short option, Madrid are able to avoid Spurs’ press with a nicely executed chip to Marcelo on the touchline. The following clip against Valencia highlights the same aspect, with Casilla able to bypass Valencia’s attackers high up the pitch. That objective of seeking the free man is an approach that will only continue at Elland Road.
The mindset of a goalkeeper being important to a team’s construction of play is one that Casilla has been well-versed in. Given that Real Madrid hold dominance over most teams in Spain, the distribution of their goalkeepers holds more weight than that of your average stopper, and can often be the biggest part of their roles in games where they aren’t overly tested with opposition shots. Particularly at Real Madrid â€" where most of their opponents opt to sit back and reduce space â€" it’s important that their goalkeeper remains tuned to the development of play, and able to assist in maintaining the team’s attacking rhythm when the time comes.

In the two clips below from a league game against Atlético Madrid, note how little time is spared between Casilla claiming the crosses and Luka Modric receiving the ball on the half turn, with multiple Atlético players ahead of the play. That attitude of looking to get the team on the attack immediately after gathering the ball is another that will be important in Bielsa’s setup; one which does rely on high rates of possession â€" but crucially â€" always within the focus of attacking at speed once the right conditions are established.

When we consider the total sum of what Kiko Casilla represents as a goalkeeper, it’s difficult to imagine how Leeds could have found themselves a realistic option that covers as many bases as the Catalan, particularly within the usual constraints of January shopping.
The only area where Casilla is currently lacking is his match rhythm, having been the understudy to an array of the world’s better goalkeepers at Real Madrid. Prior to that, he had been one of La Liga’s most consistent and available #1’s during his time with Espanyol â€" the very things that earned him the eventual move â€" but having just turned 32, there’s still plenty of time for him to regenerate his career with regular football once more.

Regardless, in place of that weekly football at Espanyol, the last few seasons have seen Casilla experiencing life inside the world’s most demanding club, where he’s still made 43 appearances in all competitions, including some big fixtures across La Liga and the Champions League. It’s difficult to cap a value on that daily experience within Real Madrid, but co-existing with the world’s best players and being in constant pursuit of every honour possible certainly can’t be dismissed.

Nobody can say for sure that a new recruit â€" no matter how expensive or well-regarded â€" is destined to materialise in a new environment, but if we’re going on proven ability, top-level experience and a familiarity within high-achieving football organisations, there aren’t many signings at Championship level that can lay claim to having a face value higher than Kiko Casilla’s.

(Stats via Opta / clips via InStat)

[h.b]

Viktig signering med tanke på Premier League.

[Kato]

Kvalitet foran kvantitet. Plutselig er vi der.

[raggen]

herlig og viktig signering!!!

[Promotion 2010]

Første intervju:

https://twitter.com/lufc/status/1085850482055233536?s=12

[h.b]

Første intervju:

https://twitter.com/lufc/status/1085850482055233536?s=12

Da er det bare å kjøpe inn spansktalende forsvarsspillere, slik at de skjønner hva han sier 

[Promotion 2010]

Lufcdata

Kiko Casilla's La Liga career numbers:

1 title
2.7 saves per game
44 clean sheets
67.8% distribution
377 saves
140 matches
172 goals conceded
577 shots on-target faced
1561 shots faced
12346 minutes played

Welcome Kiko.  #LUFC #MOT

[Promotion 2010]

Lufcdata

Consecutive Champions League winners with 10 major career honours rarely drop down into the second tier of English football, let alone on a free transfer. Kiko Casilla is a substantial coup for Leeds and an outstanding signing by Victor Orta and his team.  #LUFC #PLQuality

[ibster]

Første intervju:

https://twitter.com/lufc/status/1085850482055233536?s=12

Da er det bare å kjøpe inn spansktalende forsvarsspillere, slik at de skjønner hva han sier 

Er det Meny standard på dette her h.b - eller kanskje til og med Jacobs?

[DON REVIE]

Er ikke Orta den store stygge ulven lenger??? Patetisk....

[Promotion 2010]

[RoarG]

Endelig en skikkelig fotballnyhet, i motsetning til dette papparazi-sludderet som har versert den siste uka. Velkommen til Leeds skal du være, Kiko.

[Kato]

Rating 77 på FIFA 19 sier junior.

[Bjorn]

Rating 77 på FIFA 19 sier junior.

Og for de uvitende, er det bra?  Har selv lite peiling på denne karen, men satser på at han er god nok for 18 manns-troppen til Leeds. 

[Kato]

Rating 77 på FIFA 19 sier junior.

Og for de uvitende, er det bra?  Har selv lite peiling på denne karen, men satser på at han er god nok for 18 manns-troppen til Leeds. 

Innbiller meg det må være veldig bra til å være championship.

[Bromancer]

Rating 77 på FIFA 19 sier junior.

Og for de uvitende, er det bra?  Har selv lite peiling på denne karen, men satser på at han er god nok for 18 manns-troppen til Leeds. 

Innbiller meg det må være veldig fra til å være championship.

Junior her bekrefter at det er bra. BPF har visstnok 68.

[veteranen]

Kanon

Ser i presentasjonen fra klubben at han omtales som "Marcello Bielsas signering", tolker det som en klar indikasjon på hvem som bestemmer på ER.

Det tror jeg vi kan være trygge på, ja. Det slippes ikke inn noen Wiedwaldere eller Ekubanere så lenge Bielsa er portvakt på Elland Road.

4.5 års kontrakt indikerer nok at Casilla er tiltenkt å være vår førstekeeper i Premier League de neste sesongene.

Når tror så folket at Casilla overtar som vår førstekeeper?
Jeg (og auren, ser jeg) tipper at han er på plass i buret allerede borte mot Rotherham.

[Bjorn]

Kanon

Ser i presentasjonen fra klubben at han omtales som "Marcello Bielsas signering", tolker det som en klar indikasjon på hvem som bestemmer på ER.

Det tror jeg vi kan være trygge på, ja. Det slippes ikke inn noen Wiedwaldere eller Ekubanere så lenge Bielsa er portvakt på Elland Road.

4.5 års kontrakt indikerer nok at Casilla er tiltenkt å være vår førstekeeper i Premier League de neste sesongene.

Når tror så folket at Casilla overtar som vår førstekeeper?
Jeg (og auren, ser jeg) tipper at han er på plass i buret allerede borte mot Rotherham.

Usikker. Som jeg har sagt før kan jeg ikke se at BPF har gjort seg fortjent til benken. Men det er nå meg da.. Tror også Kiko må trenes inn i troppen. Spillestilen vår tilsier at forvaret og keeper må kommunisere godt og stole fullt og holdent på hverandre. Ikke gjort over natten.

[veteranen]

Kanon

Ser i presentasjonen fra klubben at han omtales som "Marcello Bielsas signering", tolker det som en klar indikasjon på hvem som bestemmer på ER.

Det tror jeg vi kan være trygge på, ja. Det slippes ikke inn noen Wiedwaldere eller Ekubanere så lenge Bielsa er portvakt på Elland Road.

4.5 års kontrakt indikerer nok at Casilla er tiltenkt å være vår førstekeeper i Premier League de neste sesongene.

Når tror så folket at Casilla overtar som vår førstekeeper?
Jeg (og auren, ser jeg) tipper at han er på plass i buret allerede borte mot Rotherham.

Usikker. Som jeg har sagt før kan jeg ikke se at BPF har gjort seg fortjent til benken. Men det er nå meg da.. Tror også Kiko må trenes inn i troppen. Spillestilen vår tilsier at forvaret og keeper må kommunisere godt og stole fullt og holdent på hverandre. Ikke gjort over natten.

Du har absolutt gode poenger her, ingen tvil om det.
Men så er det Bielsa da... Han er åpen og ærlig - og på mange måter nokså forutsigbar, når man først er blitt litt kjent med hans tenkemåte og arbeidsmetoder. Men som alle geniale mennesker så har han også noe uforutsigbart i seg. Så det blir spennende å se hva han velger å gjøre. Og velger han feil, så foretar han endringer som gjør at han retter opp feilen fortere enn noen andre trenere jeg har sett.
Så bra blir det nok uansett! 

Og det viktigste nå er uansett at vi endelig har god dekning på den viktige keeperplassen

[Asbjørn]

Cooper om Casilla på pressekonferansen:

Cooper on Casilla
Surprisingly good English. Great addition to the club and welcome competition for Bailey. Bielsa demands respect. Boys aren’t stupid. They know what he’s done in the game. A coup for the club. Can’t wait to work with him.

[veteranen]

Cooper om Casilla på pressekonferansen:

Cooper on Casilla
Surprisingly good English. Great addition to the club and welcome competition for Bailey. Bielsa demands respect. Boys aren’t stupid. They know what he’s done in the game. A coup for the club. Can’t wait to work with him.

Bielsa fortalte også at Casilla var Victor Orta's signering. Hyggelig å høre for Orta, samt et eksempel på hvordan en intelligent lagbygger som Bielsa helt bevisst velger å opptre.

Thomas Christiansen hadde ikke styrke (og erfaring) nok til å si nei til alle de signeringene som aldri skulle ha blitt gjort forrige sesong. Med den sterke og kloke "kontrollfreaken" Bielsa ved roret, blir det i all hovedsak kun sagt "SI" til de fornuftige forslagene fra Orta's store spillerkatalog.