Not FC Bayern or BVB
Ballack sees big problems for Union and Freiburg
10/14/2022 8:27 am
The Bundesliga goes crazy in the early stages of the season. With Union Berlin and SC Freiburg, two surprising teams lead the table, followed by the super clubs Bayern and BVB. Before the clubs meet, ex-world star Michael Ballack fears that the challengers will fall.
The former German national team captain Michael Ballack does not see the top form of the soccer Bundesliga clubs SC Freiburg and Union Berlin as sustainable enough for a surprise in the title race. The burden of the European appearances is “a challenge”.
He therefore thinks “that they will ultimately learn something because they don’t have this squad like Bayern or Dortmund,” said the 46-year-old DAZN expert. On Sunday (5.30 p.m.) the runners-up in Köpenick will welcome Borussia Dortmund, while the Freiburg team will be visiting record champions Bayern Munich on Sunday (7.30 p.m./both DAZN).
However, Ballack praised the development of the two clubs. Table leaders 1. FC Union distinguish “absolute discipline and simple, honest football that is played with all your heart”. On the other hand, he attested to the second-placed Freiburgers “first and foremost good football”.
No second Kaiserslautern
A football fairy tale like the former Bundesliga professional experienced with 1. FC Kaiserslautern in the 1997/98 season, he doesn’t believe the two Europa League participants are capable of. Such a coup is “of course difficult”. At that time, FCK “shot a lot of games” under legendary coach Otto Rehhagel, and his team “didn’t have any international competitions either”.
According to Ballack, Munich would also have to be plagued by many injuries in order to keep Bayern from their eleventh league title in a row. Ballack denied the RB Leipzig club, which was traded as a Bayern hunter before the season, the role of pursuer. “So far, Leipzig hasn’t performed in such a way that they claim to be mentioned in the same breath as Dortmund, for example,” said Ballack. The club would “give it away from the squad”, but “there is still a gap between aspiration and reality” for the DFB Cup winner, according to the ex-professional from Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich.