INTERVIEW
AXEL WITSEL Red Devil and new the society at Borussia Dortmund
With Axel Witsel on board expected to Borussia Dortmund in the short term to engage with great deeds. He must be the young team against Club send, because for the Germans is a win is a must.
“With our qualities, we must win’
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Axel Witsel: “We owe it to our stand obliged to dispose of.’ Bruno Fahy/belga
INTERVIEW
AXEL WITSEL Red Devil and new the society at Borussia Dortmund
With Axel Witsel on board expected to Borussia Dortmund in the short term to engage with great deeds. He must be the young team against Club send, because for the Germans is a win is a must.
“With our qualities, we must win’
VoetbalChampions League
(Group A, 1st match day)
DortmundDe last two years experienced Axel Witsel all extremes. The 97-fold international was with much disbelief and misunderstanding to make when he in January 2017 as a 27-year-old for a transfer and the money at the Chinese Tianjin Quanjian chose. He put his status as the undisputed holder to the Red Devils in the game, but thanks to extra individual training in China he continued to sip up to the world CHAMPIONSHIPS in Russia to grow to be the driving force in midfield. It earned him a transfer to Borussia Dortmund, the second biggest club of Germany after the unbeatable Bayern. Now he is the first mate on board of the ship of trainer Lucien Favre.
Yet you sat Friday against Frankfurt on the bank. How came that?
“I talked with the trainer about. He put me on the couch because we are in a period with many matches sit. I had Tuesday with Belgium a whole match against Iceland played. Therefore, he thought it better to let me rest. Now We play seven matches in three weeks. I am now ready to against Club Brugge to play.’
It fell immediately. It immediately went better when you were in the field came, and the 1-1 quickly 3-1.
“Yes. I also felt good and was again in the contest. I could prove myself. It was a good thing.”
Are you ready for the Champions League? Despite the 3-1 against Frankfurt I had the impression of not.
‘There is a good atmosphere in Bruges. But not as in Dortmund. That atmosphere is hard to match’
“Hmm… I think so. We feel better and better. There are still some things be improved, sure. But there are a lot of new guys. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Our team build will take a few weeks. But we are on schedule and are certainly ready to go against Club Brugge to play. I know Bruges, they’ve met many with Standard. There is a good atmosphere in that stadium. But not as in Dortmund. That atmosphere is hard to match. I remember a goal by myself against Club Brugge. That was at Sclessin in the play-offs in 2011. A shot from 20 metres into the square. That is perhaps the most beautiful goal I have ever made. In any case, my most beautiful souvenir against Club Bruges.’ (laughs)
What do you know of the current Club Brugge?
“They play the best football in Belgium. The last three years, they were two-time champion. They have a lot of the ball. But I expected it to be against us will be tougher. We must show respect for Club Brugge, but at the same time, we must be honest: with our qualities, we are obliged to Club, to beat.’
Were you happy that Club at the draw as an opponent from the jar?
“I think it’s nice to return to Belgium for a match to play. I did that already with Zenit, but still, it’s something special. It’s not like I’m a week in Belgium am. Also now not, now that I’m closer to Belgium living. The pace of games is so extremely high that it just doesn’t seem to be. On a free day must be a time, but even that day we have not yet covered. So yes, in that regard, I was pleased with Club Brugge. But I was also happy with Monaco, because it plays Nacer Chadli. It is top that I’m going to encounter. He is my best friend. We both began at the same time Standard to the youth. I’m especially happy that he is still with such a lovely club as Monaco have ended up. Yet it was only on the last day of the transfer, that transfer around himself.’
Who knock in group A are through to the second round?
“If Carrasco at the Red Devils, he may not think” I play in China. He must be confident to retain
‘We owe this to our customers in order to shock, although it is against Atlético Madrid, and Monaco is very difficult. Ask me no forecast of who the group is going to win. It is about to strike. A club like Dortmund need to get past the group stage get. Always. After a year and a half I will actually do well to that hymn to hear. I have been in Asia Champions League, but Europe is something else. The feeling is bigger.’
It will, therefore, also to you be examined. You have the team in tow.
‘I know. I must take responsibility of the trainer and that’s what I do. It has me, of course, also helped that I already had two goals. Even the goal of the month in the Bundesliga in August. That never happened to me. It makes the acceptance even faster. I feel good, this is a club that fits me. I’m also going to learn German.’
How do you look back on your adventure in China? Would you other players recommend going there?
“If there are players who go to China want to go they should have that especially do. I have good memories. My best souvenir is the first year with Fabio Cannavaro (Fifa world player of the Year in 2006, red.) as a trainer. We were third and were able to participate in the Asian Champions League. But players who also want to go, should be good thought-and that decision is not frivolous.”
Explain.
“There are two ways to get to China. The first is to think that you have nothing more to learn, your money is going to grab you there and for the rest not a lot of attracts. The second is as I have been. Always have a target in mind. My goal was the world cup with the Red Devils play. I have individually additional trained in China, hours after the group training. So I have my level can keep. That is not self-evident and hard mentally. It is, after all, not to training with the ball, but especially to endurance exercises. Every footballer will tell you that this is not the most fun things that you as a footballer can do.”
The level is really somewhat lower?
‘The level in China is lower, I tell no secret. In Europe, you will train at your club is always at a higher intensity. I admit: when I am with the national team came, I had always two or three days to be again on the level of the other Red Devils to come. Now if only I had time not needed. I noticed in the run up to Scotland and Iceland. I can muster because I that purpose. But something like that depends from player to player.”
In which category is Yannick Carrasco, who is also in China to play and who we have for a while not a good performance more saw the Red Devils?
“It’s not easy. Just as he is now, I have at the time many commented on my choice for China. I have since abstraction is made of and is always my job on the field done. Yannick has it in there, I think, what is more difficult. He must leave behind. He has to have his head free. Not when he was with the Red Devils, look to the clubs where all the other Demons play and think: I play but in China. I do not think that he must worry about his future with the national team. Confidence to keep, and as I’ve also done. He certainly has the qualities, but it is also a matter of mental strength.”
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