Largie Ramazani makes surprise Leeds United revelation involving Real Madrid | OneFootball

Largie Ramazani has declared that the Elland Road atmosphere usurps the Santiago Bernabeu

New Leeds United signing Largie Ramazani has placed Elland Road over Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabéu as the most intimidating ground he has played at.

The home advantage Leeds invariably possess at a degree stronger than most has already come to fruition in the early stages of the 2023/24 Championship campaign.

Daniel Farke's side have scored on five occasions in the two league fixtures they have played on home soil thus far, with the latest result a routine 2-0 victory over Hull City prior to September's international break.

Leeds very much appear to be entering stride following a shaky start to the season, which saw them concede five goals from two matches in the Championship and EFL Cup, crashing out in the first-round of the latter with a shock 3-0 home defeat to Middlesbrough.

However, they have not conceded in the three games which have followed, with consecutive 2-0 wins against Sheffield Wednesday and Hull propelling them up to fourth-place as one of just five teams to have maintained an unbeaten streak after four outings.

The Whites will be back in action at Elland Road on Saturday afternoon for a crunch showdown against promotion rivals Burnley, where they will be looking to continue their improved form and maintain the crucial home advantage which Ramazani himself has lauded after arriving late into the window.

Leeds United's Largie Ramazani makes Elland Road, Santiago Bernabéu claim after playing Real Madrid

Ramazani was signed late into the window to offset the departure of star winger Crysencio Summerville, who finished the season as the Championship's Player of the Year before sealing a switch in excess of £25m to West Ham United this summer.

The ex-Manchester United academy prospect joined Leeds for a fee reported to be in the region of £11m from recently-relegated Spanish second-tier side Almeria, where he played and scored against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu last term.

Having also played at the Nou Camp and Valencia's Mestalla Stadium then, Ramazani is well-placed to assess home atmospheres. Ramazani came on as a second-half substitute in the victory over Hull, gaining a first taste of the vaunted Elland Road atmosphere - and he believes it to be the best and most intimidating he has seen.

"When I played at the Bernabeu, it was loud, but it wasn’t intimidating," Ramazani told BBC West Yorkshire Sport.

"It wasn’t as loud as Elland Road. Maybe the ‘yeah’ cheer in England is louder than the ‘goal’ cheer in Spain, I don’t know, but you feel it more here at Leeds.

"People told me how loud it was and I didn’t know whether to believe them until now."

Leeds United will need to utilise Elland Road home advantage in 2024/25

Invariably, teams who gain promotion from the Championship make their home grounds a fortress.

Elland Road has been exactly that for Leeds at the best of times, but their incredibly vocal and passionate home support means they can use familiar soil to even more of an advantage than other teams.

Given how close supporters are to the pitch, the Elland Road faithful often get behind the team by getting on top of opposition players. Nobody has ever said Leeds is an easy place to go and come away from with all three points, and making it count could well make all the difference for the Whites this season.