By Rune Gjerulff@runegjerulff

Favre: 'Witsel is not ready for the starting eleven yet'

Borussia Dortmund coach Lucien Favre says new signing Axel Witsel will need some time to adjust.
Axel Witsel.
Axel Witsel.Photo: Светлана Бекетова/Soccer.ru/CC-by-SA 3.0
The expectations are high for Axel Witsel at Borussia Dortmund following the Belgian international's €20 million move from Chinese side Quanjin Tianjin.

However, after Witsel made his Dortmund debut as a substitute in a test match against Lazio yesterday, BVB coach Lucien Favre underlined that the 29-year-old will need some time to adjust before he's ready for the starting eleven.

"I hope that he will play an important role - of course," Favre told RevierSport and continued:

"He is an experienced player who has played with Belgium at the World Cup, but he's of course not ready for the starting eleven yet. He has been following a training program during his holiday, but he needs a little time."

Witsel has signed a contract with Dortmund until 2022.

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