Zenit midfielder Axel Witsel speaks in an exclusive interview with “Match TV” about how he found out his transfer to Milan, how Criscito throws papers into his hair, and the possibility of staying in Russia.
• It’s your fourth year in Russia. Did you imagine staying that long in St. Petersburg after signing with Zenit?
– When I started to play football I couldn’t imagine that one day I’ll end up in Russia. First days were not easy, but then I adapted to the team, accustomed to the city, the people and now I feel quite comfortable.
• Fans of Benfica said: “Once Axel sees snow, he will return to Lisbon.” Was it difficult getting used to the city?
– It is generally popular story: those who have never been in Russia, they are confident that everything is very bad. My family initially discouraged me as well, but then came to St. Petersburg, saw the similarities with cities of Belgium and France and they changed their mind. So before making any conclusions about the country, it is better to come and see it. The most difficult part was the cold.
• Nicolas Lombaerts recently sang the Russian national anthem . How’s your Russian?
– I am trying to learn the language, but it is too complicated. Now I understand much better than a couple of years ago, but to speak in Russian is hard.
• Is there anyone you speak in French with?
– I once talked to a ref in Saransk and every time we meet, we speak a few words.
• Lombaerts tried the beer in Russia and he said: “This is only for cleaning motors”. What are your impressions?
– I’m afraid I have to agree with Nicholas on this issue – after all Belgian beer tastes better. I hope you will forgive me.
• Vodka?
– I tried it, but no. It’s not my drink.
• Is there anyone who you asked for an autograph?
– Zinedine Zidane. But I have fulfilled my dream: We played in a mini-football in Dubai and after the match were photographed.
• Which Russian city you remember the most?
– Very impressed leaving Grozny, because in any city where I was before, I’ve never seen so many people with weapons. I also remember when we used to play with Torpedo, there was a terrible pitch. Well, Tomsk, it’s somewhere in Siberia, is it not? I had to readjust to a different time zone and play at the stadium, which reminded me the fourth division of Belgium. It was very difficult, but we won there.
• Which goalkeeper is the most difficult?
– The first come to mind – the goalkeeper of Kuban, Belenov. We recently played with them. We won, but the goalkeeper in that match was incredibly good.
• Quincy Promes and Roman Shirokov named the best Russian players. Do you agree?
– No. Dzyuba and Shatov. Artem recently scored his 100th goal in his career – we congratulated him in the “tunnel”. By the way, you know what it is? The whole team is built in two rows, forming a corridor and starts hitting the one going through it. One can not get away. This is our tradition. The main thing is to reach the end as fast as possible, otherwise it may hurt too much.
• Dzyuba worked as conductor, Lodygin conducted tours and Danny cur hair, all for charities. Would you be able to do any of this?
– Why not? I like the idea with the conductor, I would have worked in the bus or at the hairdresser. I do not know what happened with Danny, but I think I would have dared to have a haircut from him.
• You’ve been looking for a barber St. Petersburg who knows how to braid pigtails?
– I think I braided pigtails once or twice, and then I got bored. African hairstyle suits me more.
• Is it true they call you microphone?
– No, I have a new nickname – “chaloupe”. Because I have always been very calm and do everything slow. Chaloupe in the Caribbean is a small boat:swinging from side to side on the waves and slowly floating along. Like me.
• Juventus, Roma, Milan – the media every day sends you in a new team. Is it annoying?
– I try not to read news, but friends and relatives constantly call me and say what they read. It’s flattering such big clubs to be interested in me, but now I’m only thinking about Zenit and how to win the championship of Russia.
• The most ridiculous rumor that you read in the newspaper?
– In the summer we had vacation in Greece with my wife and daughter, I was at the beach and at that moment a Belgian newspaper wrote that I agreed to a contract with Milan. My phone started ringing, friends sending congratulations. I was just lying by the sea, I read it all and laughed.
• Villas-Boas leaves at the end of season. Do you have a preference about the next coach?
– I do not know who it will be. I just want Zenit to have another top coach.
• Is he different from Spalletti?
– In terms of the game – yes. Luciano is very strong tactically, he knows how to organize the most reliable play back. Moreover, Spalletti I remember has a great sense of humor. Villas-Boas constantly require us to have more ball possession, often create scoring chances. They are both two great coaches with their playing styles.
• Hulk said that when Villas-Boas arrived you all bonded more.
– Yes, and it’s really important for the atmosphere in the team. For example, recently we had with coaches, therapists and doctors played paintball. It was fun! All the time I was aiming at Dziuba – he’s the biggest, but also constantly joking and laughing.
• You started to play football when you were only four years old. Was it too early?
– We started with Nacer Chadli – he now plays in Tottenham. I still remember how his parents took the two of us to practice. I do not know, sooner or later, we started to play football, but it was hard. I left the house at seven in the morning and came back at seven in the evening. First, I sit on the bus and went to the gym, then get to school. After school I remained in class up to four hours, I went to a second training session and then returned home.
• At age 18, you were basic member of Standard and started to play with a person whose hair is like yours.
– You mean Fellaini? Marouanne has different type of hair – curls, not like African. Look at my hair – I grow hair for seven years. Once I wanted to shave but my wife stopped me. She said: let it grow.
• Fellaini once fell asleep on the bus on the way from Newcastle to Liverpool and the players threw at his head sweets, which then melted. Does anyone mess with your hair??
– Of course, I did not fall asleep as Marouanne, but these things happen to me as well. Usually Criscito folds small pieces of paper and throws them in my hair when I do not see and do not feel anything. As a result, I get up, shake my head – and they fall around me.
• You made your début in the national team of Belgium in 2008 and in the summer of 2014 played at the World Cup in the same group with Russia. Ahead of Euro 2016 – would you like to play again with our team?
– It would be interesting. Why not? You have a good team. Yes, im “Maracanã” we won, but it was the most difficult game for us in the group stage. By the way, you also will be the next World Cup. Hopefully, I will come in 2018.
• Last time you were with Belgium, explosions at the Brussels airport happened.
– I was at home and learned about the incident from friends – they began to call and ask if everything is ok. Later we were together with Nicolas Lombaerts and coach Marc Wilmots came on the scene and paid tribute to the victims. When you see it with your own eyes, you feel intense anger and shock. Just imagine – a hotel, in which the Belgian team stopped was only 500-600 meters. And at the airport were each of us visited hundreds of times. Terrible feeling that this could happen to anyone. You know that Radja Nainggolan had to fly out the same day? Very lucky to change his plans at the last minute.
All this, is really terrible. But in spite of what has happened, we, Belgians, it is important to remain united and continue to live the way it was before the attacks in Brussels.
