“The level is very high, very intense”: Julian Weigl struggles on his Al Qadisiyah debut against star-studded Al Hilal

Julian Weigl made his much-anticipated debut for Al-Qadisiyah last Saturday in the Saudi Pro League, but it turned into a difficult evening for the German midfielder.
The 30-year-old, who joined from Borussia Mönchengladbach on September 1, 2025 on a two-year deal, started in midfield as his side held Al-Hilal to a thrilling 2-2 draw.
Speaking after the game, Weigl admitted, “The level is very high, very intense, all teams want to win.” His words reflected the challenge he faced on the pitch against one of the strongest squads in Asia, featuring international stars such as Bono, João Cancelo, Rúben Neves, Darwin Núñez, Kalidou Koulibaly, Theo Hernández, Malcom and Sergej Milinković-Savić.
While Mexican forward Julián Quiñones shone with moments of brilliance for Al Qadisiyah, Weigl’s own performance left much to be desired. Once hailed as a future successor to Toni Kroos in the German national team and compared to the likes of Xabi Alonso and Sergio Busquets, his debut showed why he has struggled to adapt to modern football’s tactical demands.

Fate of an old-school regista like Julian Weigl in a modern football game

Weigl’s playing style has always been that of a regista, that is, a deep-lying playmaker with exceptional passing vision and positional awareness. During his Borussia Dortmund days, he was admired for dictating tempo, relieving pressure, and reading the game intelligently. Football figures like Kroos once predicted he would be “world class,” while Marc Bartra compared him to Busquets. At just 21, he was expected to become Germany’s next midfield orchestrator.

But the evolution of tactics has left players in this mould exposed. In today’s high-pressing systems, managers increasingly demand midfielders who can carry the ball, cover vast spaces, and dominate physically. Registas like Andrea Pirlo or Alonso thrived in earlier eras, but in 2025 football, the role is harder to accommodate.
Against Al-Hilal, Weigl’s limitations were evident. His match statistics highlight the struggle: 36 accurate passes out of 44 (82%), only one chance created, and a combined xG+xA of just 0.02. Defensively, he contributed seven clearances, three recoveries, and one tackle, but he was dribbled past twice and failed to register any touches in the opposition box. According to data platforms FotMob and Opta, his overall rating of 6.8 was one of the lowest on the pitch.

How Qadisiyah coach Míchel can unlock Weigl

Despite the poor start, Al-Qadisiyah’s coach Míchel Gonzalez has tactical options to get the best out of his new signing. In his trademark 4-4-2 flat system, Weigl appears isolated and struggles to influence the game.
However, a shift to a 4-2-3-1 or 4-1-4-1 could allow him to operate as a pivot slightly behind the centre line, playing alongside energetic midfielders such as Musab Al-Juwayr, Ibrahim Mahnasi or Otávio. From there, Weigl’s passing range and positional discipline could become assets rather than weaknesses.

The Saudi Pro League is now filled with global stars, making every game physically and technically intense. If Weigl adapts, he still has the intelligence to thrive as a deep-lying playmaker. If not, he risks being left behind in a league where dynamism and adaptability are as valuable as vision.
For now, his debut shows that the road ahead in Saudi Arabia will indeed be, as he himself admitted, “very intense.”