Jaka Bijol’s full stats emerge after superb performance in Leeds win vs Burnley
Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version from Football Insider or go back to LFC Live.
Credit: Imago Sat 2 May 2026 9:57, UK Jaka Bijol was in brilliant form as Leeds United beat Burnley 3-1 on Friday night to take another step towards confirming Premier League safety at Elland Road.Anton Stach’s stunning drive from range opened the scoring, before Noah Okafor and Dominic Calvert-Lewin added to it in the second half. Loum Tchaouna’s late strike was merely a consolation.Bijol joined last summer and initially struggled to get into the team, spending the first seven games he was available for sitting on the bench.But once Daniel Farke began to play him, it was clear that the Whites became a better team with the Slovenia international in the centre of the defence.The 27-year-old’s Leeds form continued to catch the eye on Friday, although he would have been disappointed to miss out on the clean sheet. ⚽ Leeds United Matchday ⚽ Team news, line-ups, expert previews and verdicts, and tactical analysis for every Leeds fixture.
VISIT THE LEEDS MATCH HUB MORE FOOTBALL INSIDER STORIES The stats behind Jaka Bikol masterclassFootball Insider exclusively revealed in February that Leeds will consider big offers for Bijol this summer, amid reported interest from the likes of Liverpool.The 27-year-old cost the Whites £15million last summer, and he has enjoyed a transformative impact at Elland Road.Jaka BijolStats vs Burnley (H)Minutes played90Assists1Accurate passes54/63Accurate long balls6/9Blocks1Tackles1Duels won6/8Both defensively and on the ball, the Slovenia international has brought confidence and ability in droves.It was apparent after just seven minutes on Friday when he punched a pass into Stach, taking out three Burnley players and allowing the German to take one touch before striking in from range.Bijol’s passing is among the best facets of his game, and it also saw him complete six of his attempted long balls on the night.Defensively, the 27-year-old really caught the eye, however. He completed five clearances and five recoveries throughout the game, and lost just two of the several duels he contested.What Daniel Farke has said about BijolFarke’s initial reluctance to play Bijol was made even more bizarre when the defender put in a brilliant performance in the Carabao Cup in August.
It would take until October for the Slovenian to finally make it into a Premier League starting XI, and once there, he has not left.Leeds are expected to reject any advances for the 27-year-old this summer, with him under contract at Elland Road until 2030.“He is a very professional player who looks after himself, but obviously also very intelligent, smart player and also a fantastic human being, fantastic character,” said Farke when asked about Bijol last month.“He is also someone who always thinks about the team and not just about himself and even how he is perhaps himself”.He added: “This is what I mean when I speak about a captain pedigree. He also has this natural aura to be a leader of men.