Leeds United Survive FA Cup Scare as Buonanotte’s Future Comes Under Fire
Leeds United narrowly avoided a major upset at the hands of Championship side Birmingham City in their FA Cup fourth-round encounter, eventually securing their spot in the next stage only after a nerve-shredding penalty shootout.
The decisive moment came when Sean Longstaff maintained his composure to slot home the winning spot-kick. His clinical finish ended a grueling and physically demanding contest at St Andrew’s, ensuring the Whites’ name would be in the hat for the fifth round.
While the team celebrated the win, much of the post-match talk centered on goalkeeper Lucas Perri. Having faced a wave of skepticism regarding his recent form, Perri provided the perfect rebuttal on the pitch. He produced a string of crucial saves during regulation time and repeated his heroics during the shootout, single-handedly preventing a Birmingham City giant-killing.
A Night to Forget for Facundo Buonanotte
Despite the positive result, the overall performance from Leeds was underwhelming and served to highlight significant weaknesses within the squad. No player felt the heat more than Facundo Buonanotte, whose contribution has been met with fierce backlash after he was hooked at the interval.
Yorkshire Evening Post journalist and Leeds expert Graham Smyth was particularly scathing in his assessment of the Argentine winger. While manager Daniel Farke attempted to shield the youngster from the brunt of the fallout, Smyth did not mince his words on The Square Ball podcast, labeling the performance a total disaster.
”Maybe if he’d have played a bit longer, we’d have seen a bit more, but it was just really horrible for him, wasn’t it,” Smyth remarked. “It was a really, really desperate full debut… I really struggle to remember an individual performance quite as bad as that one.”
The Damning Statistics
The data behind Buonanotte’s 45-minute cameo paints a bleak picture for those hoping he would be a long-term solution on the wing. His inability to adapt to the physicality of the Birmingham defense was evident in the numbers:
- Ball Retention: He surrendered possession 10 times.
- Creativity: He failed to create a single chance or complete a successful dribble.
- Involvement: He managed only 30 touches before being replaced at halftime.
Transfer Dilemma Looming
These struggles have sparked an immediate debate over the club’s recruitment strategy. Leeds has been tracking the Argentine talent since last summer, with rumors suggesting a substantial financial package would be required to make his move permanent in the upcoming window.
| Match Stats – Buonanotte vs Birmingham | |
|---|---|
| Touches | 30 |
| Unsuccessful Touches | 1 |
| Dribbles (Successful) | 3 (0) |
| Possession Lost | 10 |
| Total Carrying Distance | 96.1 m |
| Carries | 6 |
| Progressive Carries | 1 |
However, after witnessing a performance that Smyth described as one of the worst by a Leeds player in years, supporters and analysts alike are questioning if the hype was ever justified. If this display represents his ceiling in English football, the Elland Road hierarchy may have to think twice before committing a massive transfer fee to secure his services for next season.
