What Regis Le Bris Said About Granit Xhaka's Sunderland Debut vs Real Betis

Granit Xhaka has already made his debut in Sunderland's shirt in a friendly match against Real Betis, where the Black Cats lost 0-1.

Despite the defeat, the Lads boss Regis Le Bris drew positive conclusions, one of which was the injection of experience that having the 32-year-old Swiss international on the pitch represented.

After the match, Le Bris spoke to the press and, in statements collected by the Sunderland Echo, said: "I think that we added new building blocks today with a bit more experience in the team."

Later, the French coach explained the importance of finding the balance they've achieved with their recent signings.

What Regis Le Bris said about Granit Xhaka's Sunderland debut vs Real Betis

"It was clear in our mind that we needed balance in the squad, so we started our recruitment with many young players, and it was obvious that we needed some maturity," added the former Lorient manager.

Le Bris continued explaining that the team showed composure and confidence in their build-up play, noting that "in the first half, it was balanced because we had a level of control. In the second half, the rhythm dropped, and it was more like a friendly game."

Despite the result, Sunderland had opportunities to take the lead, as the coach pointed out: "I thought today we had opportunities, many touches in the opposition box. So it's always about the final bit and we know we have to improve."

Le Bris finished by explaining that in preseason periods, it's always about layers, starting from the back, then a bit higher, and then a bit more.

He concluded that the key area they need to improve is finishing, and said he hopes they improve in that regard sooner rather than later.

It's no coincidence that rumors about potential attacking signings have been emerging one after another in recent hours.

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