Michael Ballack reveals that he once almost switched to FC Barcelona. He had agreed with the Catalans on a transfer – but the deal fell through.
Michael Ballack played for the German national team 98 times, was captain of the DFB, but it wasn’t going to work out with a big title. In 2002 he became vice world champion, in 2008 vice European champion.
Nevertheless, the now 43-year-old can look back on a glorious career in which the attacking midfielder has played for Chemnitzer FC, 1 FC Kaiserslautern, Bayer Leverkusen, FC Bayern and Chelsea.
However, Ballack could have taken a different career path, as he has now revealed.
“I could have gone to Real Madrid in 2002 and Barcelona in 2004, two of the best teams in Europe,” he told Sky. “Of course, it would have been interesting in retrospect and I would have liked to see how things went for me at these clubs.
Ballack: “Bavaria and Barca couldn’t come to terms.”
Instead of moving from Leverkusen to the Königliche, Ballack went to Munich to become the German record champion, where he won the championship and the DFB Cup three times each from 2002 to 2006. Only the Champions League title was denied to him.
But Ballack could have lifted the pot if his transfer to FC Barcelona in 2004 hadn’t broken down. The Catalans became Champions League winners two years later.
“I had an offer from FC Barcelona at the time. I was also on the verge of a transfer, we all agreed. I talked to the Barca managers and everything was clear: it was all about the transfer fee,” the former DFB captain said. “That was the only thing missing. But Bavaria and Barca could not agree.
Two defeats in the Champions League final
In 2006, Ballack finally left Munich, moved to the island and became English champion with FC Chelsea in 2010 and cup winner three times (2007, 2009, 2010).
However, as with Leverkusen against Real Madrid (2002), Ballack lost to Manchester United in the 2008 Champions League final as a star of the Blues.Michael Ballack reveals that he once almost switched to FC Barcelona. He had agreed with the Catalans on a transfer – but the deal fell through.
Michael Ballack played for the German national team 98 times, was captain of the DFB, but it wasn’t going to work out with a big title. In 2002 he became vice world champion, in 2008 vice European champion.
Nevertheless, the now 43-year-old can look back on a glorious career in which the attacking midfielder has played for Chemnitzer FC, 1 FC Kaiserslautern, Bayer Leverkusen, FC Bayern and Chelsea.
However, Ballack could have taken a different career path, as he has now revealed.
“I could have gone to Real Madrid in 2002 and Barcelona in 2004, two of the best teams in Europe,” he told Sky. “Of course, it would have been interesting in retrospect and I would have liked to see how things went for me at these clubs.
Ballack: “Bavaria and Barca couldn’t come to terms.”
Instead of moving from Leverkusen to the Königliche, Ballack went to Munich to become the German record champion, where he won the championship and the DFB Cup three times each from 2002 to 2006. Only the Champions League title was denied to him.
But Ballack could have lifted the pot if his transfer to FC Barcelona in 2004 hadn’t broken down. The Catalans became Champions League winners two years later.
“I had an offer from FC Barcelona at the time. I was also on the verge of a transfer, we all agreed. I talked to the Barca managers and everything was clear: it was all about the transfer fee,” the former DFB captain said. “That was the only thing missing. But Bavaria and Barca could not agree.
Two defeats in the Champions League final
In 2006, Ballack finally left Munich, moved to the island and became English champion with FC Chelsea in 2010 and cup winner three times (2007, 2009, 2010).
However, as with Leverkusen against Real Madrid (2002), Ballack lost to Manchester United in the 2008 Champions League final as a star of the Blues.
