Michael Ballack wants excitement in the championship race! The former national player criticized BVB and spoke out in favor of playoffs in the 1st Bundesliga.
Dortmund – Former national team captain Michael Ballack (45) set out to increase attractiveness in the 1. Bundesliga strong for the playoffs and at the same time criticized the runner-up Borussia Dortmund.
Michael Ballack (45) would like more excitement in the 1st Bundesliga. © Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa
“I think: playoff games create more excitement, we see that in America. It would be helpful to think about it, also in the interests of the fans,” the 45-year-old told the Kicker.
In particular, he focuses on the dominance of the FC Bayern Munichwho won his tenth consecutive league title last season.
During his playing days, it was criticized that the Glasgow Rangers in Scotland won eleven titles in twelve years. “We said: We don’t want such conditions! Now we have them. So for me it would only be logical to think about improving attractiveness,” said the World Cup runner-up in 2002.
At the same time, the former Bayern star criticized the harmlessness of BVB in particular. “The relationship between aspiration – becoming champion – and mentality – showing it every week – is not right,” explained the native of Görlitz.
The former “Capitano” Michael Ballack (45) was on the pitch 98 times for the German national team. (Archive photo) © JOHN MACDOUGALL / AFP
Borussia tend to get young players, many of whom didn’t make the step from talent to top player in terms of mentality.
“That’s why they sometimes lose against Hertha or Bochum – and against Munich. Bayern plays 80 percent of the season in third gear and becomes champion – that can’t be! Dortmund has to be ready to play every game in sixth gear,” said Ballack .
Actually, the 265-time Bundesliga kicker expects BVB to be on par with the record champions in terms of mentality and concentration.
But even after the commitments of Niklas Süle (26), Nico Schlotterbeck (22) and Karim Adeyemi (20), the squad from Munich is “still the strongest in the league. Bayern has the experience and self-image to become champions.”
