No thaw in Leeds cold war

Spartak Moscow officials yesterday launched another scathing attack on Leeds United and manager David O'Leary.

O'Leary and Spartak coach Oleg Romantsev have become bitter adversaries more than 17 years on from their first meeting - Romantsev was captain of Spartak in 1982 when they beat an Arsenal side captained by O'Leary 8-4 on aggregate in the UEFA Cup.

Romantsev started the war of words last week when he alleged bribery by Leeds in an attempt to get both legs of the third-round tie played in England after a frozen Dinamo Stadium pitch led to the initial match being postponed.

Leeds chairman Peter Ridsdale has already stated he will file an official complaint to UEFA once both games are out of the way, with further claims yesterday by Romantsev and general director Yuri Zavarzin now only lending weight to his dossier.

Zavarzin reckons last week's postponement - with the game to be played in Sofia tomorrow - has cost Spartak close to £660,000.

Romantsev said: "The referees and the English went to Moscow with one aim - to cancel the match. You could already guess that a week ago. They're cunning, they counted on everything. It's a blow below the belt.

"I want to warn again that neither in Bulgaria nor in Leeds will I go to the press conference. I'm not inclined to sit at the same table with dishonourable people. "Leeds have simply stolen a million dollars and our chances of making the next round are dramatically decreasing."

Zavarzin also attacked O'Leary: "On the television screen the Leeds trainer looks an honourable and honest person but only a dishonourable person could offer such things.

"Even if the English go past Spartak, I wish with all my heart that they go out in the next round. And more than that I wish that such a team like Leeds never make it into European competition anymore."

However, O'Leary dismissed Romantsev's claims. "I'm too long in the tooth to comment on garbage, because once you start commenting on garbage it just stirs things up even more," said an angry O'Leary.

Meanwhile, David Batty was yesterday ruled out with the Achilles injury he sustained after 30 minutes of Sunday's 1-0 win over Southampton.

Midfielder Batty would have been captain in the absence of the suspended Lucas Radebe, so O'Leary will now hand the armband to Republic of Ireland international right-back Gary Kelly.