Marco Gabbiadini Reveals Sunderland’s Veteran Star Could Be The Catalyst: Black Cats’ Real Problem Was Mental, Not Tactical? | OneFootball

Former Sunderland striker Marco Gabbiadini spoke to BBC Sport recently. He gave a sharp, thoughtful take on why captain Granit Xhaka’s return is such a big deal for the Black Cats. Currently, Sunderland are navigating a rough patch of inconsistent form. Gabbiadini admitted the team aren’t just a one-man show. Even so, he made it clear that the 33-year-old Swiss international has a level of presence that almost no one else in the squad can match.

Gabbiadini Backs Xhaka Return To Steady Sunderland’s Wobbling Premier League Campaign

The ex-striker pointed out how important Xhaka is as an anchor in the middle of the pitch. Xhaka is the type of player who is happy to sit back, dictate the play, and keep everyone else calm. A young Sunderland side have clearly felt his absence while he was out with that ankle injury. Looking past Xhaka’s own game, Gabbiadini also touched on the constant lineup changes Régis Le Bris has dealt with lately.

He suggested that never having a settled team has only made things harder. On top of that, he noted that new signings always need a bit of time to find their feet. For a squad full of players still learning the ropes in the Premier League, a dip in results was always likely. Still, his overall outlook was positive. Gabbiadini saw this slump as a temporary hurdle rather than a total breakdown.

“They’re not a one-man team, but he is very important, of course, he is. He brings so much experience to a team that is still pretty green.

“You’ve got to be careful not to get too despondent or carried away. To get the captain back in the middle of the park, somebody who’s a little bit more anchored and happy to just sit and control the game will make a difference.

“There’s been quite a lot of change in the team. It hasn’t been a particularly consistent team selection over the past few weeks – maybe that has been an issue as well. And new faces, as it always takes time when new faces come into the dressing room.

“We’ve lost some people and brought some new people in. They’ve got to hit the ground running, and it’s not easy to do that.

“Most of the players have not had long Premier League careers or played that many games in the Premier League at all. Some of them haven’t played many games, full stop. If there’s a little bit of a lull, that’s to be expected.”

— Marco Gabbiadini, as quoted by BBC Sport

Does Xhaka’s Return Prove Sunderland’s Real Problem Was Mental, Not Tactical?

SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 22: Granit Xhaka of Sunderland reacts during the Premier League match between Sunderland and Fulham at Stadium of Light on February 22, 2026 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

The timing of this matters a lot. As of February 26, 2026, Sunderland are in a fantastic spot for a club just promoted to the top flight for the first time since 2017. Xhaka was back in the mix for the weekend game against Fulham.

What Gabbiadini is really getting at is that the team have a leadership gap, not just a tactical one. Sunderland’s other midfield options, Noah Sadiki, Enzo Le Fée, and Habib Diarra, have plenty of energy and skill. But none of them have the scar tissue and grit that Xhaka brings. He has earned over 120 caps for Switzerland, and you can’t buy that kind of know-how.

Le Bris himself has called Xhaka a leader that the rest of the group naturally follow. You just can’t expect a 22-year-old to provide that same sense of stability in the middle of a season. Gabbiadini also made a fair point about how much the summer overhaul affected the team. Sunderland brought in a lot of new faces, and that kind of chemistry takes months, not weeks, to build. In the end, what looks like a tactical breakdown on the pitch is often just a group of young players looking for a leader to steady the ship when things get chaotic. Now, they finally have that leader back.