Kagawa: I need a little more time

The Japanese star is still not fit enough to start for Besiktas.

Shinji Kagawa made yet another short appearance for Besiktas as a substitute during their Saturday evening league clash with Bursaspor. Despite scoring twice on his debut, he says he needs a little bit more time to get back into shape.

Speaking to reporters after their home win, he said he is happy with his debut but is still not fully ready yet.

“I am doing the best I can. I need a little more time to keep up with the team. I’m a player that tries to create space in attacks and to put my teammates in a goal-scoring position. Like I said, I need a little bit more time. I will be in better shape in the coming weeks. The team has a system, to which when I’ve adapted, I believe I will contribute more,” he explained.

The 29-year-old also said he was very impressed with the atmosphere at Vodefone Park.

“The fans gave us a lot of support. My job on the pitch is to connect the midfield and the attack. I can play as a number 10, on the right or on the left. The most important thing is to contribute to the team. The more I play with my teammates, the more I will adapt to the ways of the team. I think I will be more effective after I learn which player likes to run in which direction, where they will stop and so on. I believe this will happen in the next few games.”