Leeds United chairman Peter Ridsdale was treated to the polite side of Spartak Moscow's character after a week in which he has had to defend the club in the face of serious accusations.

Ridsdale, manager David O'Leary and the United squad were welcomed by two Spartak officials at Sofia Airport yesterday ahead of the rearranged UEFA Cup third-round first-leg tie in the Bulgarian capital.

It came as a surprise given the flak which has been hurled at Leeds and O'Leary - including claims of dishonesty, bribery and theft - since the team arrived in Moscow last week for what proved to be a wasted journey.

The most provocative comments have been made by Spartak coach Oleg Romantsev and they have strengthened the case which Ridsdale will take to UEFA after next week's second leg at Elland Road.

However, Spartak pulled another trick yesterday evening as they were already at Levski's Georgi Asparuchov stadium finishing their training session when Leeds arrived, even though they were supposed to be on after United.

"It's what we've come to expect," said Ridsdale. "Given all the innuendos which have been flying around as well, it's just very disappointing.

"But they sent two officials to the airport who were actually in the meeting (last Thursday after the immediate postponement of the game) when these allegations were supposed to have been made."

Temperatures were hovering around freezing by the time Leeds finished their training but O'Leary couldn't have been happier. "We have been made to feel very welcome here. The people have done their utmost for us," he said.

Gary Kelly, captain for the night, said: "The stuff we've heard about hasn't affected us. Anything that has been said, we've just turned a blind eye to it. We're getting on with what we've got to do.

"The players of both camps haven't said a word and they are the ones who are in the thick of the battle. It's a case of doing our talking on the pitch with our skills."