Furious Leeds United sporting director Victor Orta has to be held back as he gesticulates wildly at a fan, seconds after Patrick Bamford’s 95th-minute equaliser against Brentford
- Victor Orta violently gestured to an individual after Leeds’ draw with Brentford
- Patrick Bamford netted a 95th-minute equaliser to set Elland Road alight
- Leeds chief Orta had to be held back by staff as he argued with the individual
- An eyewitness claims the Spaniard was having a go at an abusive Leeds fan
Leeds chief Victor Orta had to be held back by members of the Elland Road directors’ box after he appeared to violently gesture towards a fan giving him abuse.
The club’s director of football was reacting wildly to Patrick Bamford’s 95th-minute equaliser in Leeds’ 2-2 draw against Brentford on Sunday, when he started remonstrating with a member of the crowd.
Orta had to be held back by Leeds chief executive Angus Kinnear but it did not stop the Spanish director from making V signs to the individual, while also putting his finger to his lips, gesturing for the fan to shut up.
Leeds sporting director Victor Orta (right) had to be held back after arguing with a spectator and gesticulating wildly after the club’s 2-2 draw with Brentford on Sunday
Orta’s antics came just moments after Patrick Bamford levelled the match late on for 2-2
Orta did not appear to be arguing with any Brentford directors present in the box, with visiting Bees president Cliff Crown and chief executive Jon Varney looking at the incident from afar.
And an eyewitness claimed on Twitter on Sunday that Orta was directing his angry complaints at a Leeds fan who was giving him abuse during the game.
‘I sit beside him,’ claimed Leeds fan Mark Cosgrove on Twitter. ‘It was a “leeds fan” slagging him and victor went metal.
‘The “fan” didn’t answer him back. Love this mans (sic) passion for our great club!’
Orta (right) gesticulated to someone outside the directors’ box on Sunday afternoon
An eyewitness claims Orta was arguing with a Leeds supporter who was giving him abuse
Orta has been a controversial figure in the boardroom on matchday and is known for his passionate antics involving Leeds.
When Leeds celebrated promotion to the Premier League with a fixture at Derby in the summer of 2020, Orta was seen dancing with binolculars over his eyes – making a reference to the ‘Spygate’ incident from the year before, when a Leeds ‘spy’ was caught trying to watch Derby’s training session.
After a promising first campaign back in the Premier League last season, Leeds are finding life in the top flight more difficult this term – winning just three out of their opening 15 games so far.
Spanish chief Orta (right) is know for his passionate antics in the Elland Road directors’ box
Prior to Sunday’s draw with Brentford, Bielsa’s side had won just one out of their last four matches and were struggling against the newly-promoted west Londoners.
Leeds led in the first-half through Tyler Roberts’ strike but two goals in seven second-half minutes from Shandon Baptiste and Sergi Canos turned the match on its head.
But Bamford, returning to the Leeds squad after a long-term injury, made a devastating impact by netting with one of the last kicks of the game to earn a precious point at Elland Road.
Leeds are now 14th in the Premier League table, six points above the three clubs in the relegation zone – Burnley, Norwich and Newcastle – who are all on 10 points.