The six keys that led Witsel to sign for Atlético

Axel Witsel He is one of the great signings of the Atletico Madrid ahead of the upcoming season. Many may think that perhaps it is not the best time to sign the Belgian international, because he is already 33 years old, but the truth is that he is a performance insurance and one of the best in his position. And he arrives with the letter of freedom under his arm.

The international had very interesting offers on the table, from important clubs. had proposals for USAbut especially one of the Olympic Marseille, who put all the meat on the grill to take it away. However, the player ended up opting for the option of the Atlético. For several factors.

Horizontal — Simeone, in an image of a party

Juan Herrero / EFE

1- SIMEONE

We already told you about it in your day in this same newspaper. the call of Diego Simeone was key to convincing the Belgian player. “I spoke with him a few weeks ago and we had a very good connection directly. He told me that he remembered me from the year 2014, because I played with him Zenit in the Calderón and with him Borussia in the Metropolitan. I knew that he wanted me in the team and I think that is very important when you arrive at a new club”, commented the protagonist himself.

And it’s not just the Cholo speak to him in person, but it was also an incentive, at this point in his career, to put himself under the orders of what he considers to be “one of the best in the world”. “I wanted to work with him,” she acknowledged.

During these years, many signings came to the Atlético thanks to the ancestry of the Argentine coach.

2- A TOP CLUB Y THE CHAMPIONS

Though Axel Witsel He is already 33 years old, he is in the final part of his career, he still sees himself with the strength to compete at the highest level. And for that, what better than to do it in a team like the Atléticowho is supposed to fight for the titles in which he competes.

“For me the Atlético It is a great club, a ‘top’ team. I wanted to stay at a ‘top’ level and play the ‘Champions‘. That’s why I’m here. It is one of the best clubs in the world“, illustrated the Belgian player. And it is that, whether it was in the Dortmundin the Standard of Lieja or the Benfica, won titles. He is used to fighting for them, he has 12 titles in his career in Belgium, Portugal y Russia. Only in China went blank. She don’t want you in spain be repeated

The family of Axel Witsel, a new Atlético de Madrid player.

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3 – CARRASCO AND FAMILY STABILITY

The new colchonero soccer player revealed that he spoke with Yannick Carrasco about him Atletico Madrid and pointed out that his compatriot told him “very good things” about the Madrid club. Against having a friend like him on the team who supports him, it was an unbeatable sign, although he confessed that it wasn’t key either because he already knew that he wanted to be ‘rojiblanco’. “Carrasco He pushed me, told me I had to come here. She told me ‘it’s a top club, a very good city for you and your family’. In the end we talked a bit more at the Belgium training camp, but I really didn’t need Carrasco convinced me a lot because in my head I already had it clear, “he explained.

Witsel He has three young children and family stability is important to him in the destinations he goes to.

4- THE WORLD CUP AND THE CHALLENGE OF THE SELECTION

“I wanted to continue competing at the best level after doing it in the Dortmund. And that’s why I decided to come”, explained the new mattress player, for whom the year-end appointment in Qatar it’s key. non-negotiable for Robert Martinez, He is a footballer who has been going to the calls for Belgium since 2008, when he played his first game, against Morocco.

Add two participations in a World Cup (Brazil y Russia) and two Eurocopas (the of France and the multi-site in 2021). For him there are already 124 international matches and he wants to be in QatarIt would be his third World Cup date. His challenge is to become the player with the most caps in the history of Belgiumis eight from Jan Vertonghenwhich adds up to 132.

5- A TEAM WITH PASSION

Witsel he is accustomed in his career to going through clubs that have passionate, hot fans. He succeeded him in all the destinations in which he was. Standard happens to be the club of Belgium the most passionate hobby. In Germanythat of Dortmund… The one of Zenit neither is it lame in this sense.

So it was important to him. “I remember the great atmosphere when I came with the Dortmund. Now that this is here, I imagine jumping onto the field and feeling that great atmosphere”, recalled the player.

6- A MEDIUM TERM CONTRACT

Although in the case of Witselhis contract is limited to a single season, which was not what he wanted because, for example, the Marseille OlympicHe was offered a longer contract. Something that was important to him because it meant a certain stability.

In this sense, the fact that in the Atléticohaving the opportunity for his contract to be extended for one more year in addition to the one initially signed, was important.