Khedira fails to impress in Juventus debut

German football star Sami Khedira won mediocre reviews after his first game with Juventus, a friendly match on Wednesday with Polish side Lechia Gdansk which the Serie A title holders won 2-1.

"Negative debut. Poor as a holding midfielder, better when he plays on the wing. Too slow in moving the ball, he also makes mistakes in passing," Gazzetta dello Sport daily wrote on Thursday.

The Turin-based Tuttosport gave the 28-year-old midfielder a 5/10 mark.

"He is not yet the warrior he can be when at his best," Tuttosport wrote, noting that Khedira is out of practice.

He was out of the first squad at his last club, Real Madrid, and came in only as a sub in Germany's 7-0 thrashing of Gibraltar in early June.

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri was more understanding.

"He was better as a winger than as a holding midfielder, even if as a holding midfielder he was not bad. But as a winger he moved better, I would say it is his usual position," Allegri said after the match.

Khedira missed Juventus' first test match of the season - a 2-0 loss to Borussia Dortmund on July 25 - because of an adductor injury.

Juventus are training hard ahead of an Italian Super Cup final with Lazio on August 8.