Granit Xhaka likens Sunderland boss Régis Le Bris to Arsène Wenger
Granit Xhaka has compared Sunderland head coach Régis Le Bris to Arsène Wenger as the Swiss midfielder prepares to face Arsenal, the club where he spent seven years and later worked under Mikel Arteta.
Key details
| Item | Figure or date | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Sunderland league finish | Seventh | Achieved in their first Premier League season after promotion |
| European reward | Europa League place | Secured through the seventh-place finish |
| Xhaka at Sunderland | 16 months | Midfielder says the squad has progressed under Le Bris |
Xhaka, who has played under Wenger, Unai Emery, Arteta and Xabi Alonso during spells with Arsenal, Bayer Leverkusen, Basel and Borussia Monchengladbach, believes Le Bris shares many of Wenger’s defining qualities.
“I see him as a small Arsène Wenger,” Xhaka said of the Frenchman. He described Le Bris as calm, approachable and tactically strong, adding that the Sunderland manager does not need to raise his voice to command a group.
The midfielder also pointed to the challenge of taking charge of a new squad, with fresh arrivals to integrate, but said Le Bris has already shown his ability to lift both the team and individual players. Xhaka said he was grateful to work with a coach of that standard.
Le Bris brought the Switzerland international to the Stadium of Light from Leverkusen last summer, a signing that underlined Sunderland’s ambitions following their return to the top flight. Xhaka then captained the club to seventh place, delivering European football despite expectations that Sunderland would face a more difficult first campaign back in the Premier League.
For Xhaka, the defining feature of Le Bris’s work is the level of detail involved in preparation. He said the head coach studies more than opponents, with close attention also paid to Sunderland’s own performance and to one-to-one meetings with players.
“He notices things I have not often seen a coach go into,” Xhaka said. “Every player has made progress over the past 16 months, and there is more improvement available for everybody.”
The 33-year-old has also set out the standards he expects as Sunderland captain. Xhaka said he must lead by example rather than demand more from teammates before examining his own performance, drawing a distinction between making demands and simply complaining.
He said his approach is driven by a desire to win in every setting, from home matches and weekend fixtures to training sessions.
Sunderland now face an Arsenal side that has begun the season with a perfect record, giving Xhaka an immediate reunion with Arteta and his former club. His midfield work alongside Diarra and Sadiki will be important if Sunderland are to interrupt Arsenal’s rhythm and test a team pursuing the title.
Xhaka’s message ahead of the meeting was straightforward: Sunderland will not give in.
