Atletico Madrid veteran Axel Witsel has called on players moving to Saudi Arabia to be honest about their motives for doing so.
The Belgian veteran, who has been reconverted into a central defender from his usual midfield spot by Diego Simeone has confirmed he is still very much enjoying life at Atletico, in spite of that change. It was not a position he was familiar with.
“Three games or four at most at Dortmund. But not in a line of three, it was with two, which is a little more difficult. It was really last year when I started playing almost always in this position, something new for me.”
Asked about the difference between playing in defence or in midfield, Witsel admitted there was process of adaptation regarding how he saw the game.
“In the middle of the pitch everything is more natural. I know where I have to cover my partner, run. It’s going well. At the beginning, in defence, I had to think a lot. Not with the ball because you have everything in front of you, but to defend. I had to change speed a little to anticipate and run into space,” he told Diario AS.
Witsel has been forced to fill in almost as a de facto central defender following Diego Simeone’s decision to stick with five in defence without the ball. El Cholo seems to prefer a more nimble profile at the base of midfield, as has been seen with Koke Resurreccion and Pablo Barrios this season.
Witsel was also asked about his move to TJ Quanjian at the age of just 25, and was not hiding from his reasons for doing so.
“If I went back I would do the same. You have to tell the truth: the people who went to China then, like the ones that now go to Arabia, are doing so because they receive a lot of money. And I understand it.”
"Eden [Hazard] is a brother to me. We played for many years together in the national team. For me he has had a fantastic career. But in recent years it was more complicated. I think he retired because in the last two years it was very difficult for him."
Axel Witsel (Diario AS). pic.twitter.com/0sAmSi4XAO
— Football España (@footballespana_) October 16, 2023
The likes of Jordan Henderson, recently abused by England fans for his move to Saudi Arabia, and young Spanish talent Gabri Veiga, have remained adamant that they did not make the move for money.
Of course, amongst those people are former Atletico and Belgium teammate Yannick Carrasco.
“Yes, I spoke to him. And he’s well.”
Witsel admitted he missed Carrasco.
“Yes. At first, as soon as he left, it was a little strange that he was no longer with us. But this is part of football.”
