On the 8th of April 2025, fans were treated to one of the most dramatic nights in the 2024/2025 soccer season. However, the drama in question had very little to do with Declan Rice’s mesmerizing free kicks that brought Real Madrid to their knees or Inter Milan stunning Bayern Munich late on at the Allianz Arena.
That Sinking Feeling at the Riverside
Away from the cathedrals of European football, remarkable events were unfolding at the Riverside Stadium in Middlesbrough—moments that are hard to explain and will remain a talking point for years to come.
Michael Carrick’s team were hosting Leeds United in a crucial game at the business end of the Championship as both sides vied for promotion. For Leeds, this eventuality is far more pressing, but encouragingly for the Whites, a genuine possibility too as Daniel Farke’s men are at -1600 to be promoted in the latest sports betting odds.
On top of the numbers, this sentiment is also echoed in the latest Championship predictions on the Paddy Power blog. There is, however, a very important caveat: after matchday 42, just five points separate first from third. In other words, despite the confidence shown in Leeds by the markets and prediction pieces, it would take just one slip-up — whether through bad luck or, as was the case on a critical night in the promotion race in early April, an inexplicable refereeing decision — to derail their push for automatic promotion.
Leeds United were, of course, looking to build on their automatic promotion hopes at the Riverside Stadium but were cruelly denied two goals that night by refereeing decisions. Both strikes, one from Ao Tanaka and another from Patrick Bamford late on, were ruled out by the linesmen despite being perfectly legitimate. Ironically, the same official who cancelled out Tanaka’s goal had flagged three Leeds goals incorrectly in the past two months, adding fuel to the fire for frustrated fans.
Before continuing, it’s important to say that these were genuine mistakes. Running the line is one of the hardest jobs in soccer, and without the safety net of VAR in the Championship, there is no way of correcting clear and obvious errors. Add to that the fact that it’s a thankless role, constantly under scrutiny, and you start to understand the pressure officials face.
Notwithstanding the human element that all football fans should consider when it comes to refereeing, it is also true that there is great pressure on a club like Leeds to get promoted. To date, it is so far so good, but had Middlesbrough equalized, Leeds would have justifiably felt let down by the officials on a night when they simply had to win.
The saying goes that all is well that ends well, and yes, that’s true to an extent as Leeds held on for the win with Daniel James’ goal enough to separate the sides.
But away from the goings-on at the Riverside, Leeds have often felt cursed, and that it is them against the world — they might be right.
Long Memories
One of the most famous chants you’ll hear at Elland Road is ‘We Are the Champions of Europe.’
Only, any knowledgeable soccer fan will tell you that Leeds have never won the European Cup or Champions League. It is sung in defiance of the result of the 1975 final in Paris against Bayern Munich, where Leeds were denied a legitimate goal and stonewall penalty that cost them European soccer’s greatest prize.
They’ve never moved on from it, and why should they, as the opportunity has never presented itself again; these things matter.
It may not be as final now, but everyone at Leeds will be praying that they don’t have a similar feeling of injustice again when the season ends.
