- Axel, all summer the media have been writing that you will leave Zenit before the transfer window closes. You have already been wooed at Inter, Juventus, Napoli and Everton. Please clarify the situation.
- So you definitely stay at Zenit for this season?
- In theory, where would you prefer to go to play one day if you want to: to Italy or England?
I don't really have any preference. But if one day I find myself in one of the top clubs in England or Italy, it won't make much difference for me, because this is the elite.
- “Zenith” has long taught fans to play in the Champions League. This year will have to play in the Europa League. How hard is it for you?
Of course, this has a negative effect on such a big club as Zenit. I think Zenit should play in the Champions League every year. Unfortunately, we did not perform very well in the championship. In my opinion, our main goal is to go all the way and reach the Europa League final. It is clear that everyone wants to get into the Champions League, but this year we no longer have a choice, so now we have to focus on the championship, and next year try to get into the Champions League.
- Will Zenit fight for victory in the Europa League?
Yes, of course, I think that the team has all the necessary qualities for this.
- Do you agree that after the departure of the Hulk to China, it was you who became the main face of our championship?
Undoubtedly, being a star is an honor for me. But at the same time, this imposes additional responsibility, which, however, I am ready to bear. Of course, after the departure of the Hulk, we lost one of the best strikers in the world and, of course, this affected the team. Now we must definitely find some kind of collective solution so that this does not affect the matches.
- Do you think you will stay at Zenit after the expiration of the contract?
I don't know ... However, "never say never." Today I am fully focused on the current season, I want to give my best, and as for what will happen next, wait and see.
- Do you remember the balls against Spartak in particular?
Each goal scored is special for a football player. But, of course, the goal against Spartak was something more for me, because this is a strong opponent.
Why “Zenith” has never managed to reach the Champions League quarterfinals so far? This problem has not been removed for many years ...
I don’t know, I can say that when I came, the team was not in the best shape. Of course, every time there are some difficulties, plus one should not forget about luck. Nevertheless, last year we won five out of six matches in the group, and I am sure that if we make further efforts, then we have every chance of reaching the quarterfinals.
- Who is the strongest opponent of “Zenith” in the current draw of the Russian championship?
We always need to be very careful with CSKA. Because they are always somewhere near us. And… I don’t even know, “Krasnodar” plays well. And, of course, Spartak.
Do you know why we lost? Slutsky made a strange choice, relied on young CSKA players, leaving experienced fighters in reserve ...
I also did not understand why they showed the worst result in the group. After all, this team consists of very good players. Maybe they need a change too. I personally think that you need to trust young players. The Belgian team, for example, has quite a few talent.
I know that you spent your vacation in Sardinia before the new season. Did the Italian journalists get you there? There was news every day that representatives of various clubs were visiting you.
To be honest, I haven't noticed any paparazzi. I had a good time with my wife and daughter, we had a great vacation and I didn't see any journalists. It was a relaxing stay.
Witsel had been repeating for years about his desire to play in the top championship, and at the last moment he did not give a damn about the agreement with Juventus and fled to China. Socker.ru is indignant.
“I think that those who can be lured away with big money have no character.”
Jürgen Klopp
Witsel is a man without character. According to leading football experts. It's just that Jurgen Klopp speaks directly and bluntly. In fact, this is the second time in his career that Axel has chosen money, which underlines the level of his football professionalism and unwillingness to progress. The transfer to Zenit is also from this cohort, although four years ago the Belgian could have ended up, for example, in Manchester United. But St. Petersburg is at least in Europe, the "blue-white-blue" are the potential flagship of the Premier League and a permanent member of the Champions League.
“When I came to Zenit, I thought that I would stay here for three years and move to a top European club. I've been here for almost five years now, but I'm happy. "
Such a compromise could be understood, especially since at that time the 23-year-old midfielder was aware that the peak of his career was ahead, and he would still have time to move to the top championship, having strengthened in Russia. And having earned - not without it. Naturally, money was one of the most important arguments. But Axel kept on repeating about his dream, in his game and in the comments between the lines it was read: "I am passing through here." And now, in the prime of football skills and the ideal age for a new challenge - on the threshold of his 28th birthday, Witsel, having in his hands an offer from Juventus, where the player was thinking last summer, chooses China and money instead of Scudetto and participation in the Champions League.
“Axel Witsel from Zenit or Hector Herrera from Porto? Of course, I choose Herrera! "
Maurizio Sarri
Maurizio Sarri can be considered one of the first who saw through Witsel. In early summer, Napoli agreed with Zenit on the transfer of the midfielder, but the Neapolitan mentor told Aurelio De Laurentiis that he could not guarantee the Belgian a place in the starting lineup, and the deal fell through, as spending 25 million euros on a player on the Napoli bench was not made up my mind. What exactly Sarri meant is of course the question. Either the coach was not impressed with Axel's playing characteristics, or the whole point is a lack of football passion and dependence. When the Belgian was still playing for Benfica, the Manchester United scout looked at him and collected information about the psychological portrait outside the field. It turned out that Witsel, with all his playing merits, is categorically not suitable for the role of a leader., permanently chooses the path of least resistance and is too dependent on the opinions of his environment. Moving to China is a vivid example of the fact that during his time in St. Petersburg Axel has not changed at all mentally.
“Anyone can replace Witsel in Zenit. His performance at the European Championship is a disaster. It does not hammer, does not perform protective functions, does not work at high speeds. "
Vlastimil Petrzhela
Witsel is a strong footballer with no distinct strengths. Axel knows how to play with minimal mistakes in passes, make "square" balls round and address them to partners, but stability, endurance and constancy he often lacks... The Belgian rarely approached his maximum at Zenit, and Juventus probably counted on an increase in concentration, since the player was so eager to get into the top championship. Since the days of "Standard", Axel has been nicknamed "Shalup". It is such a fishing boat made of wood that floats slowly and relaxed, indifferently swaying on the waves. Witsel insists that this is due to his demeanor in ordinary life, but if you have seen many matches of the Belgian, you must admit that it is a very apt description of his football image.
“It was because, on the one hand, there was such a great team and top club as Juventus, but on the other, an offer for my family that I could not refuse. I want to apologize to Juventus. I'm sorry, but such offers are not rejected. "
To paraphrase Witsel: on the one hand, it's a pity Juventus, who wasted so much time on the transfer of the midfielder, and on the other hand, Turin must breathe calmly that fate saved them from acquiring a player whose sport and achievement of results are not in the first place. "Old Signora" midfielder Thomas Rincon from Genoa. Everything turned out well for Zenit, which will help out decent money on the transfer of a player whose contract ends in six months, and in football terms, in the spring, Lucescu will be more useful in the center of the field with a midfielder with motivation and a desire to win. Witsel meanwhile will earn capital for his family - he was offered 18 million euros per year... Of course, the salary is astronomical, about four times what Juventus was offering.
“Truly great athletes are altruists. For them, there is only the maximum result, only the achievement of high goals - a victory in the Champions League, for example. "
Anatoly Byshovets
And in China, among other things, you don't really need to strain, and even if you can also live luxuriously in Europe for 4.5 million euros a year, playing at the highest level, but you can buy yourself an extra island. Why is Witsel hateful? Because he didn't give a damn about football, after all, it's not about a 35-year-old veteran who decided to earn extra money in his old age. If the Belgian kept saying: “The goal of my career is to earn as much money as possible in order to ensure a comfortable existence for my family,” then now there would be no questions for him. But Axel turned out to be a hypocrite: he chatted about the top clubs and his ambition, but when the choice arose between the Serie A hegemon and the huge money from an artificially inflated league, he chose China and millions. Witsel betrayed football as soon as he received an offer “impossible to refuse,” and traitors do not deserve respect.
→ Poll: how do you feel about Axel Witsel's decision to move to a Chinese club instead of Juventus?
Money is important to everyone. The most fashionable thing now is to accuse Witsel of self-interest. Like, Axel thinks only about the dough, nothing else bothers him in life, he signed a death warrant on his career and then on the indictment list. But in the history of any football player, many people forget one simple thing: money worries everyone. Absolutely everyone. Regardless of earnings and the number of loaves of black bread / luxury villas and islands.
If you are paid 30 thousand rubles a month, you probably want 40. For a start. If you are paid 300 a month, you aim to earn 400. If you are paid 3 million euros a year, you are thinking about a salary of 4 million.
If you earn 30 thousand - you want 40. If 3 million - you want 4
It is clear that he has long been a rich comrade, a true millionaire who can afford anything. He does not look at promotional items in stores and does not look for the cheapest ticket to Turkey / Egypt once a year. Money will not improve the quality of his life, but it certainly will not be superfluous.
It's perfectly okay to accept a salary of 15 million euros a year. Moreover, the figure is without possible bonuses.
The easiest way is to accuse a person of self-interest, the harder is to understand that Axel is just thinking logically. If
you are offered insane money and at the same time you will earn it without straining, what's the point of refusing? To become a knight on a white horse? Witsel hardly cares about comments on Russian sports sites.
And now the most important thing.
We have not only just learned: for Witsel, money is more important than ambition. Was it really not clear when the Belgian agreed to play for Zenit? It's great to love our Russian football, but let's look at things adequately. Zenit has never been a stronger, more promising or more ambitious club than Benfica. The Portuguese project is one of the most famous in the world, and from there they regularly move to top clubs. And moving from Benfica to Zenit is definitely not a step forward.
In 2012, Witsel moved forward only financially. This is not an accusation, it is a fact.
For six years in European football, Axel has shown everyone his level. Everyone, considering himself. And Witsel was a star only for the price tag. But not at all for the game. No, Witsel did not fail at Zenit - by no means, he was a systematizing and devilishly important player.
Do you really think Juventus didn't see their future without Axel?
However, in the bottom line, Witsel is a good, high-quality footballer of the European level. But nothing more.
He has enough minuses - from slowness to dubious defensive skills, although he uses his pluses perfectly. We do not live in the 90s, so that any transfer to the "famous European club" is perceived as something incredible, amazing, insanely honorable.
Yes, Witsel was on the Juventus shortlist. Yes, the "old lady" almost bought Axel back in the summer, but it was not her fault that the transfer broke down at the last moment. Yes, and now the Italians offered Witsel a contract. But do you really think Juventus didn't see their future without Axel (https: //www..html)? Wanted him, only him and just him? Did you consider him a top-tier footballer?
Doubtful. With all due respect to Juventus, there are no high-class players in every position. Juve is a smartly built, well-designed team, where working in a solo mode is not at all as important as working together.
Witsel would not have become a Juventus legend
Witsel would certainly not have become a club legend or leader at Juventus. Therefore, Juve does not suffer from a disrupted transfer. If I had suffered, I would have probably found ways to persuade Witsel to move to Italy.
But not much was necessary.
There is no need to make drama and soap opera out of Witsel's transition. One good European club negotiated with Axel. The Belgian chose the Asian, financially more profitable option.
Juventus will now find another player in midfield. Probably not worse than Witsel. And Axel will earn money for all his "great-great-great-great-great-great-grandchildren."
That's all.
The name of the Chinese team is not just mentioned in the article for nothing. It doesn't really matter at all. A man who has played honestly for Zenit for four years goes to work in China. A cool, well-paid job. And what is Witsel's fault here?
Football fans vehemently condemned the transfer of the midfielder of St. Petersburg “Zenith” and the Belgian national team to the Chinese club. The footballer was accused of self-interest and put an end to the player's talent. Despite negative reviews, Axel continues to demonstrate technical and consistent play on the pitch.
Childhood and youth
Axel Witsel was born in the Belgian Liege on January 12, 1989. The boy's parents are Catholics, they raised their son in a devout environment. The father is a native of the Martinique island, which belongs to France, and the mother is Belgian. Due to his interethnic roots, the man has dual citizenship.
The midfielder said in an interview that he got the name thanks to the film with, where the main character was named Axel Fowley. Parents loved the comedian and comedy with his participation, so they decided to give the baby a name in honor of the character in the picture.
Thanks to his father, a former football player and coach, the boy got acquainted with football. From early childhood, Witsel attended a sports school. Until the age of 15, he managed to change two educational institutions. The study was not easy because of the serious workload.
Lessons began at eight in the morning, then the bus took the young athletes for a two-hour training session, after which they again had to sit down at their desk. The school day ended with another hour on the field. The schoolboy walked home at about seven in the evening.
Despite the workload, Axel tried to keep up with the school curriculum. Early enough, the future midfielder realized the need to speak several foreign languages. Already from the school desk, plans were made for an international career as a professional football player.
Football
The "Standard" school in his native Liege became the graduation ticket to the young man's sports life. In 2006, the young man made his debut on the field. In the same 2006, Axel appeared in the national youth team of Belgium at the European Championship.
Axel Witsel at the "Standard" club The meteoric rise of the career was consolidated with the title of the best young footballer and footballer of the year according to the results of the 2007/2008 season. The midfielder joined the club's permanent starting lineup. In addition, the tall (186 cm with a weight of about 80 kg) player has been included in the permanent squad of the country's national team since 2008. In the team, he is the key player in the center of the field.
It would seem that nothing could interfere with the athlete's success. Especially after in 2009, "Standard" became the winner of the Belgian championship, and the 11-meter performed by Witsel contributed to obtaining the champion title.
On August 30, 2009, during a meeting on the field with Anderlecht, the midfielder inflicted a severe injury on the Polish player of the opposing team Marcin Wasilewski. The footballer received an open fracture of his leg, after which Axel was immediately removed from the field and disqualified for an indefinite period.
Ultimately, the suspension lasted for 8 matches. The midfielder has gone through a tense period when he received threats from Anderlecht fans.
Axel Witsel at the Benfica club Returning to the field, the Belgian played for Standard until 2011, and in July signed a contract with Portuguese Benfica. In Portugal, the midfielder played the season, gaining a foothold in the squad and scoring three goals in 32 league games.
In 2012, the player made it to the top 50 most expensive footballers by signing a contract with Zenit St. Petersburg. According to some reports, the amount of the transfer was € 40 million. The midfielder's salary was not announced, but according to rumors, the amount ranged from € 2 million to € 4 million per year.
Axel Witsel in the club "Zenith" Witsel himself explained in an interview that he does not know his own annual earnings, because he read the contract carelessly and did not pay attention to the numbers. Of course, the Belgian was cunning, which he himself later admitted to reporters, but made it clear that the amounts specified in the contract are not intended for the public.
As part of the Russian club number 28, Axel played the entire period stipulated by the contract. However, after that he decided not to pursue a career in Russia. Initially, the footballer spoke of the need to grow and develop skills and experience on the field. Negotiations were underway for the transfer of the Belgian to Juventus. Unfortunately for Witsel, the transfer was disrupted.
Axel Witsel at the Tianjin Quanjian Club All the more unexpected for football fans was Axel's transfer to the Chinese "Tianjin Quanjian" in January 2017. The midfielder received accusations of self-interest, pursuit of high earnings at the expense of skill and experience.
Axel himself admitted that, of course, in China they play a completely different football than in Europe, and the level of the game is noticeably lower. However, the midfielder noted that there is more time for reflection on the field and more space for the midfielder's skills. In addition, Axel noted that, together with the coach, he is working to improve the tactical component of the club.
Personal life
Axel is happily married to a longtime girlfriend, the Romanian model Rafaelle Sabo. The wedding took place in 2015 in Axel's hometown. After the ceremony, photos of the significant event appeared on the footballer's Instagram page. V