“But it’s too late for Bayern”

Berger: “I am not surprised at this statistic either. I mean, his nearly 95% success rate is nothing short of amazing. Witsel has an incredibly sharp pass and with that he can put his detached team mates in a good position with one action. ”

Irreplaceable at dortmund

Both in Dortmund and with the Red Devils, Witsel is the important link between attack and midfield. Long distance passes or razor sharp deep stitch passes you will not often see Witsel launching, but short passes in compact spaces all the more. That is why Witsel’s importance in the construction is often underestimated or even simply overlooked. On average, Witsel passes the ball over a space of 16.96 meters. That is generally on the short side, especially compared to fellow midfielders all over Europe. But the game of Dortmund requires such a fit from their number six.

Sobolewski: “As a central figure at Borussia Dortmund, Witsel does not inspire on the field with threatening passes, but with well-considered walking lines and his strategic set-up. That is his main task in the offensive game of Dortmund. In that respect he is difficult to replace in the team of Lucien Favre. ”

Berger: “Witsel guarantees a short pass like no other player at BVB can. For example, Mats Hummels often plays vertical balls in the back of the defense, but Witsel is always looking for the simple and safe pass – but they are always efficient. This form of fit often helps BVB to get out of difficult situations in midfield. ”

LATERAL WHIT

Usually Witsel plays the ball around laterally (27 per game), rather than forward (13 per game) or backwards (11 per game). Nevertheless, Witsel does achieve the highest efficiency in the Bundesliga in piercing passes and passes in a forward direction. Yet Lucien Favre prefers to see his inspector act in a conservative role, in which he is vital for Dortmund. The Swiss coach therefore does not ask for offensive impulses from Witsel and that has its reasons.

Sobolewski: “Most opponents in the Bundesliga position themselves very low compared to the strong collective of Borussia Dortmund. And that is precisely why Witsel’s specific fit is so important. If you really want to set up an attack quickly, such as with counters, for example, the attacks usually do not go through the center but via the fast flank players such as Achraf Hakimi, Raphael Guerreiro and Jadon Sancho. ”

MORE OFFENSIVE ROLE?

In the Académie Robert Louis-Dreyfus of Standard, Witsel enjoyed his youth training as an offensive oriented midfielder. As a result, the 31-year-old midfielder has an important extra dimension in his role as controlling number six. For example, Witsel delivers 7 passes per match towards the final third, the danger zone of the opponent. Moreover, in that part he again achieves the best accuracy among all players of the Bundesliga. That makes one wonder whether Witsel can also excel in a more offensive role.

Sobolewski: “At Borussia Dortmund, Witsel is in very good hands on the defensive midfield. Against a stiff defense you need unexpected actions, such as ingenious steps. That is not exactly the great strength of Witsel. Lucien Favre mainly counts on other players such as Marco Reus, Julian Brandt and Giovanni Reyna to force the openings. ”

Berger: “I don’t think Witsel necessarily has to play more offensive. There are other players who do that like Jadon Sancho, Achraf Hakimi or Brandt. Emre Can also plays more offensive in midfield. Witsel scored five goals this season and gave four assists, which is good, but I see a lot of room for improvement in his matches. He can become even more aggressive and uncompromising there. ”

TOO LATE FOR BIGGER CLUB

Both Daniel Sobolewski and Patrick Berger strongly agree: Axel Witsel is a real winner. Borussia Dortmund can therefore be lucky to have a player of such class in her ranks. At the age of 31 it is still difficult, but this Witsel can effortlessly join a club that plays a level higher than Borussia Dortmund.

Sobolewski: “Witsel is a central figure in Favre’s game idea. He not only inspires with his passing, but also with his ability to keep up with the ball. The opponent has almost no chance to take the ball away from him, so there is rarely a loss of ball. But Borussia Dortmund expected more about Witsel’s leadership qualities. He is not a leader. BVB had to make up for that problem, which is why they bought Emre Can in the winter. They complement each other well – an important aspect why things went much better in the return round than in the first round. By reaching Witsel, BVB has achieved an extremely good deal. His reputation and skills are equally suitable for even bigger clubs. Perhaps Dortmund was lucky that Witsel’s career started through Russia and China. If he had moved to a European top league then, Borussia Dortmund might not be able to afford him today. “

Berger: “I think Witsel is a great player that fits perfectly with Borussia Dortmund. For another top club, however, I think the train left the station. He is now 31 years old and has a two-year contract with Dortmund. Although he is a very good player, I think Witsel is no longer an option for Bayern Munich. ”