Image:Juan Manuel Jurado: Struggled in Germany since big-money move from Spain
Christoph Metzelder has offered his backing to under-fire Schalke team-mate Juan Manuel Jurado.
Under-pressure Spaniard thought to be lacking fitness
Christoph Metzelder has offered his backing to under-fire Schalke team-mate Juan Manuel Jurado.
The Spaniard has failed to live up to expectations in Germany since arriving from Atletico Madrid in a £9million transfer in August 2010.
Jurado struggled in Sunday's win over Augsburg and Metzelder hopes his colleague can rediscover some form.
Metzelder told Reviersport newspaper: "Jose looked like the perfect picture of misery down in the locker room after the Augsburg fixture.
"He has been doing his best, despite not having the best of fitness at this moment. He is completely out of his match stride. He needs to rediscover this.
"And it is pretty obvious you are going to make errors if you are not on your best fitness level.
"He has a special way to perform. If things are going well, the people are certainly amazed. If not, well, he certainly does not have the usual fighting spirit of the usual German player."
