Axel Witsel

Axel Witsel

Witsel with Zenit Saint Petersburg in 2015
Personal information
Full name Axel Laurent Angel Lambert Witsel[1]
Date of birth (1989-01-12) 12 January 1989
Place of birth Liège, Belgium
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)[2]
Playing position Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Zenit Saint Petersburg
Number 28
Youth career
2004–2006 Standard Liège
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
2006–2011 Standard Liège 148 (34)
2011–2012 Benfica 32 (1)
2012– Zenit Saint Petersburg 103 (14)
National team‡
2004 Belgium U15 1 (0)
2005 Belgium U16 2 (0)
2005–2006 Belgium U17 19 (0)
2006–2007 Belgium U18 5 (0)
2006 Belgium U19 3 (0)
2007–2009 Belgium U21 10 (0)
2008– Belgium 64 (6)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 28 April 2016.
† Appearances (goals)

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 29 March 2016

Axel Laurent Angel Lambert Witsel (born 12 January 1989) is a Belgian professional footballer who plays for Russian club Zenit Saint Petersburg and the Belgium national team.[3] He came into the first team as a right-winger, and can also play attacking midfielder, though his natural position is centre midfield.

He made his senior international debut in 2008 and has earned over 50 caps for Belgium, representing the country at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Club career

Standard Liège

On 17 September 2006 a 17-year-old Witsel made his debut with Standard Liège during a competitive game against FC Brussels when he replaced Steven Defour in the 89th minute. Eleven days later, he made his European debut as a substitute.

During the 2007–08 season, at 18 years of age, he was a key member in the squad of Standard Liège, winners of the Belgian League title that year. During this year, he formed a very young midfield together with other Belgian talents Defour and Marouane Fellaini. In the following season, he scored the winning goal from the penalty spot in a two-legged playoff to decide the championship.

On 30 August 2009, Witsel sparked controversy when he broke Marcin Wasilewski's leg by stamping on his ankle during the match between Anderlecht and Standard.[4][5] Following the tackle, Witsel protested the red card, claiming that it was an accident without intent, before being sent off the pitch. He soon apologised, but was the subject of criticism from several media outlets and numerous death threats from angry Anderlecht and Poland fans.[6] The initial ban until 23 November by the Belgian Football Association,[7] was later reduced on appeal to eight matches.[8]

Benfica

Witsel signed for Portuguese club Benfica on a five-year deal on 13 July 2011, including a €40 million buyout clause.[9] Witsel scored twice in the 3–1 win against FC Twente, in the Champions League play-off second leg, on 24 August 2011, sending Benfica to the group stages with a 5–3 aggregate victory.[10]

Witsel playing for Benfica against Zenit in 2012

He scored the opening goal in a 4–1 thrashing of Vitória de Guimarães in the Taça da Liga on 9 January 2012.[11] He then assisted Nolito in a 4–1 league defeat of Vitória de Setúbal. Witsel scored his fourth goal against Santa Clara on 18 January in a Taça da Liga match.[12] Benfica reached the final on 14 April against Gil Vicente and Witsel was awarded the Man of the Match award as Benfica claimed their fourth Taça da Liga title with a 2–1 victory.[13]

Zenit St Petersburg

On 3 September 2012, Witsel signed for Zenit Saint Petersburg for €40 million, after signing a five-year contract.[14][15] Witsel made his debut in the Russian Premier League on 14 September, replacing Konstantin Zyryanov in the 70th minute as Zenit fell 2–0 to Terek Grozny.[16] He scored his first two goals for the club on 30 November when Zenit brushed aside Spartak Moscow 4–2 at the Luzhniki Stadium.[17] Witsel scored Zenit's winner against Terek Grozny on 30 March 2013, an eighth-minute strike, as his side cruised to a 3–0 league victory.[18]

In Zenit's first match of the 2014–15 UEFA Champions League group stage on 16 September 2014, Witsel scored Zenit's second goal in a 2–0 away victory over former club Benfica.[19] After finishing third in their Champions League group, Zenit were parachuted into the Europa League knockout phase; in the first leg of their Round of 16 clash against Torino on 12 March 2015, Witsel scored on a rebound as Zenit defeated the Italian club 2–0.[20] On 26 April, Witsel scored the game's only goal in the seventeenth minute as Zenit defeated Arsenal Tula in a league match at the Petrovskiy Stadium.[21] On Sunday 17 May, Witsel played the full 90 minutes as Zenit drew 1–1 with FC Ufa, earning the point they needed to secure the Premier League crown, the club's fourth overall and Witsel's first with Zenit.[22]

In the 2015 Russian Super Cup on 12 July 2015, Witsel converted his penalty shot in a 4–2 penalty shoot-out victory over FC Lokomotiv Moscow after the match had finished 1–1.[23]

Club statistics

As of match played 16 April 2016
Club Season League Cup League Cup Europe Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Standard Liège 2006–07 Belgian Pro League 16200—10171
2007–08 33700—31398
2008–09 35800—101459
2009–10 28511—1244010
2010–11 371062—004312
Total 1493273——26618142
Benfica 2011–12 Primeira Liga 2914220142495
Zenit Saint Petersburg 2012–13 Russian Premier League 19430—91345
2013–14 2941010110424
2014–15 28410—132426
2015–16 242221071345
Total 10114724039415120
Career total 1515615740631023373

    International career

    Witsel with Belgium in 2011

    Prior to making his international debut for the senior side, he played for the under-21 side in 2007 earning nine caps as well as helping his side reach the semi-finals of the 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship.

    On 26 March 2008, Witsel made his international debut during a friendly game against Morocco. The match resulted in a 1–4 loss, but Witsel scored his first goal for Belgium.

    On 13 May 2014, Witsel was named in Belgium's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.[24] He started in midfield in the team's first game of the tournament, a 2–1 win against Algeria in Belo Horizonte.[25]

    International goals

    Scores and results list Belgium's goal tally first.
    # Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition Ref
    1. 26 March 2008 King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels  Morocco 1–2 1–4 Friendly [26]
    2. 17 November 2009 Stade Louis Dugauguez, Sedan  Qatar 1–0 2–0 Friendly [27]
    3. 9 February 2011 Jules Ottenstadion, Ghent  Finland 1–0 1–1 Friendly [28]
    4. 25 March 2011 Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna  Austria 1–0 2–0 Euro 2012 qualifier [29]
    5. 2–0
    6. 4 September 2014 Stade Maurice Dufrasne, Liège  Australia 2–0 2–0 Friendly [30]

    Honours

    Club

    Standard Liege[31]
    Benfica
    Zenit

    Individual

    References

    1. ↑ "Conselho de disciplina" [Disciplinary board] (PDF). Portuguese Football Federation (in Portuguese). 23 March 2012. p. 3. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
    2. ↑ http://www.standard.be/fr/c_joueurs_saison.php?id=644
    3. ↑ "Stats Centre: Axel Witsel Facts". Guardian.co.uk. Retrieved 29 June 2009.
    4. ↑ "Witsel breekt been van Wasilewski in tackle". Sporza. Archived from the original on 1 September 2009. Retrieved 31 August 2009.
    5. ↑ "Anderlecht-Standard faute d'Axel Witsel sur Wasilewski". YouTube. Retrieved 31 August 2009.
    6. ↑ http://goal.com/en/news/755/europe/2009/09/01/1474358/standard-liege-stars-defour-witsel-receive-death-threats
    7. ↑ Standard Liege midfielder Axel Witsel banned for horror tackle
    8. ↑ Witsel horror tackle ban reduced
    9. ↑ "Benfica sign Witsel". ESPNFC. 14 July 2011.
    10. ↑ "Witsel delivers as Benfica oust Twente". UEFA. 24 August 2011.
    11. ↑ "V.Guimarães 1–4 Benfica". LPFP. Retrieved 3 December 2012.
    12. ↑ "Benfica 2–0 Sta. Clara". LPFP. Retrieved 3 December 2012.
    13. ↑ "Witsel foi o Man of The Match". LPFP. 15 April 2012.
    14. ↑ Zenit signs Witsel
    15. ↑ "Comunicado" [Announcement] (PDF) (in Portuguese). CMVM. 3 September 2012. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
    16. ↑ "Zenit 0 – 2 Terek Grozny". ESPNFC. 14 September 2012.
    17. ↑ "Spartak Moscow 2 – 4 Zenit St Petersburg". ESPNFC. 30 November 2012.
    18. ↑ "Terek Grozny 0–3 Zenit St. Petersburg". ESPNFC. 30 March 2013.
    19. ↑ "Familiar Zenit faces come back to haunt Benfica". UEFA. 16 September 2014. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
    20. ↑ "Zenit ease to victory over ten-man Torino". UEFA. 12 March 2015. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
    21. ↑ "Zenit St Petersburg 1–0 FC Arsenal Tula". Yahoo Sports!. 26 April 2015. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
    22. ↑ "Andre Villas-Boas leads Zenit St Petersburg to Russian Premier League title after ill-fated spells at Chelsea and Tottenham". Daily Mail. 17 May 2015. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
    23. ↑ "Суперкубок России по футболу 2015, Финал". RFPL (in Russian). 12 July 2015. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
    24. ↑ "Adnan Januzaj included in Belgium's World Cup squad". BBC Sport. 13 May 2014. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
    25. ↑ Chowdhury, Saj (17 June 2014). "Belgium 2–1 Algeria". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
    26. ↑ "Axel Witsel marque, Stijn Stijnen se troue deux fois". Le Soir (in French). 27 March 2008. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
    27. ↑ "Victoire des Diables face au Qatar (0–2)". La Dernière Heure (in French). 17 November 2009. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
    28. ↑ Da Silva, Christophe (9 February 2011). "Rode Duivels gooien verdiende winst weer weg in blessuretijd". Het Laatste Nieuws (in Dutch). Retrieved 4 December 2014.
    29. ↑ "Witsel bezorgt Rode Duivels zege van de hoop". Sporza (in Dutch). 25 March 2011. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
    30. ↑ Lynch, Michael (5 September 2014). "Socceroos easily beaten by Belgium in friendly". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
    31. 1 2 3 "A. Witsel". Soccerway. Retrieved 17 March 2015.

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