Leeds United 4-1 SC Verl: Grafting (and sulking)

As the hour-long first half against SC Verl neared its conclusion, Dan James sprinted to catch up with Joel Piroe’s pass on a counter-attack, got to the ball to prevent it going out for a throw-in, and stopped for a breather alongside everyone else on the pitch desperate for a break.

It goes without saying that Leeds United will face much tougher tests than 120 minutes against third-tier German opposition in the Premier League in 2025/26, but this was all about ticking off the boxes of hard graft designed to make sure they’re ready for Everton under the lights in four weeks’ time. James’ weariness was a reflection of the fact that the players made sure they each got in an hour or so of solid work on top of the grind being done behind the scenes.

By that point, Leeds were already 2-0 up. With Joel Piroe nominally playing as the number 10 behind Harry Gray up front, the roles were reversed as Gray dropped deep to put Piroe through one on one, United’s new bleep test champion arrowing his finish into the top corner for the opener. Piroe’s second was charmingly farcical, sending the ‘keeper the wrong way from the penalty spot after a Verl defender used his hand to stop the ball for what he thought was a goalkick even though it had never gone out of play.

Verl had chances of their own in the first ‘half’, forcing Illan Meslier into a couple of smart stops at his near post that we’re used to him making look far more difficult. Meslier was replaced after forty minutes by Alex Cairns, who made the unfortunate defender that conceded the penalty feel a bit less daft by holding onto the ball for too long and conceding a corner, before needing the new rule introduced to stop time-wasting explained to him by the referee.

The raft of changes made by Leeds at the break introduced a fresh impetus and intensity into their passing, albeit that was also aided by Verl sticking with more or less the same team that had played the first hour. Still, Largie Ramazani’s pass with the outside of his boot to let his bezzie Willy Gnonto make it 3-0 was good fun, as was Ramazani leaving Verl’s right-back on his arse before gifting Lukas Nmecha a tap-in for the fourth. Young midfielder Charlie Crew had put Ramazani behind the full-back, only to lose a mark for his performance with a late back-pass that kindly gave Verl their consolation goal with almost the last kick of the game.

▶️ 𝗦𝗖 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝗹 𝟭 #LUFC 𝟰
Piroe (25’, 40’)
Gnonto (76’)
Nmecha (91’) pic.twitter.com/JhhQsXekh7

— Leeds United (@LUFC) July 22, 2025

Twelve months ago, Leeds played Hannover off the park with a virtuoso display of Total Football in their opening friendly in Germany, only to sell their most exciting attackers in the intervening weeks between the start of the season and take a while to find their groove when the proper stuff began, so it’s too early to jump to any conclusions just yet (apart from don’t sell your best players) — particularly having played more inferior opposition this time around.

If we learned anything, it’s that while Leeds’ signings of big lads should, in theory, make us more threatening from set-pieces, the loss of Joe Rothwell means we still need to find someone to take the bleeders. Jack Harrison was back with his two hands in the air, raise the roof routine, which he almost took too literally by floating a couple of corners way over everyone’s heads and towards the far side of the pitch. He wasn’t the only guilty party of such an act — Ilia Gruev, I’m looking at you — and after Harrison went off there was a moment when Leeds won a corner but nobody went over to take it until Sean Longstaff realised he was closest so had to give it a go.

Yet again, Daniel Farke’s post-match interview stole the headlines. After his admission following the draw with Scum that Pat Bamford had been told he wasn’t part of Farke’s plans, Leeds’ manager revealed Mateo Joseph has refused to join the training camp in Germany having asked for a transfer back to Spain:

“I’ve spoken openly and honestly with him about the situation and have strongly recommended that, until the situation is sorted, he should do the job and be professional. He said he’s not in the mental state to do this.

“What should I do? I can’t call the police to drag him here on the training pitch. It was his decision. For that, he trains at the moment in England, individually, and will then also train with under-21s at Thorp Arch.”

Daniel Farke on Mateo Joseph, who has asked to leave Leeds United.

“What should I do. I can’t call the police to drag him here on the training pitch. It was his decision.” #LUFC pic.twitter.com/KkIoNj5VLk

— Aadam Patel (@aadamp9) July 22, 2025

In the initial story from Spain of Real Betis’ loan bid for Joseph earlier this month, it was reported that he had already agreed terms with Betis, presumably so desperate to be reunited with Junior Firpo and, erm, Diego Llorente and Marc Roca. It would be wise not to get too precious about such a detail — after all, Leeds reportedly agreed personal terms with the likes of Sean Longstaff and Anton Stach before agreeing transfer fees with their respective clubs this summer. The difference, crucially, is that Longstaff and Stach both continued training and playing for Newcastle and Hoffenheim until they were given permission to stop. So as much as Betis coughing up for Joseph would seemingly suit all parties, there’s still no need for him to be a little baby about it. ⬢