🇩🇪 Michael Ballack

[Vesper 30,207]

28 minutes ago, Jason said:

Any idea where Ballack said that? Because am almost certain that quote is fake. No source quoted...the journalists must be desperate for headlines. 

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/virgil-van-dijk-told-would-22076180

Former Chelsea star Ballack claimed that van Dijk is only held in such high esteem due to a lack of top class strikers around in the modern day compared to years gone by.

"Virgil van Dijk is very lucky to play in an era where there is no [Didier] Drogba, [Frank] Lampard, Alan Shearer, [Thierry] Henry, [Wayne] Rooney, [Robin] Van Persie, [Carlos] Tevez, [Emmanuel] Adebayor and Diego Costa in the Premier League," Ballack said.

"No wonder they think he is the best defender in the league."

[Jase 43,479]

2 minutes ago, Vesper said:

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/virgil-van-dijk-told-would-22076180

Former Chelsea star Ballack claimed that van Dijk is only held in such high esteem due to a lack of top class strikers around in the modern day compared to years gone by.

"Virgil van Dijk is very lucky to play in an era where there is no [Didier] Drogba, [Frank] Lampard, Alan Shearer, [Thierry] Henry, [Wayne] Rooney, [Robin] Van Persie, [Carlos] Tevez, [Emmanuel] Adebayor and Diego Costa in the Premier League," Ballack said.

"No wonder they think he is the best defender in the league."

I saw that but again, no source on where he said it. I saw this quote circulating on Twitter from a fan...

[Vesper 30,207]

1 minute ago, Jason said:

I saw that but again, no source on where he said it. I saw this quote circulating on Twitter from a fan...

I do not know, but they directly quoted him, and they cannot just make up a direct quote. The writer would get sacked and the paper sued if they just made it up out of thin air.

[Jase 43,479]

1 minute ago, Vesper said:

I do not know, but they directly quoted him, and they cannot just make up a direct quote. The writer would get sacked and the paper sued if they just made it up out of thin air.

But there's usually a mention of where the person said it. Nothing on this one. 

[Vesper 30,207]

3 minutes ago, Jason said:

But there's usually a mention of where the person said it. Nothing on this one. 

email the author and ask him

if it was made up, Ballack would be all over denying it by now

[Jase 43,479]

1 minute ago, Vesper said:

email the author and ask him

if it was made up, Ballack would be all over denying it by now

Considering the reputation of those 2 papers who used that quote, I'm not surprised if they just picked it without checking the validity of it. 

[Vesper 30,207]

Man City star brands Chelsea icon a "bastard" during Kai Havertz transfer talk

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1319005/Man-City-Chelsea-Kai-Havertz-Ilkay-Gundogan-transfer-news

Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has branded his fellow countryman Michael Ballack a "bastard" while explaining why Chelsea transfer target Kai Havertz is not like the former Blues midfielder.

Gundogan may have to come up against his Germany international team-mate Havertz in the Premier League next season.

The 21-year-old has told his current club Bayer Leverkusen of his desire to leave and join Chelsea.

The west Londoners have apparently agreed personal terms with the versatile midfielder and are negotiating the fee.

If Havertz completes a move to Chelsea he is expected to help them become serious challengers to Liverpool and City.

The Leverkusen star has been compared to Blues icon Michael Ballack but Gundogan thinks Havertz is a class above.

"In my opinion, Havertz is even better than Ballack in terms of his playing ability," he told Sport Bild.

"Ballack had a certain level of aggression in his game, and a strong mentality.

"He was a top player of the previous generation - a bastard on the pitch, in a positive sense. Kai isn’t like that."

Havertz will become Chelsea's third signing of the summer and second from the Bundesliga.

Frank Lampard's side moved early in the window to capture RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner - who Gundogan also knows from his time with the national team.

"Believe me: Everyone at City knows about Timo Werner," Gundogan said.

"Many of my team-mates asked what kind of guy he is. He deserves respect."

City will be weakened next year after selling winger Leroy Sane to Bayern Munich.

 

[NikkiCFC 8,331]

Chelsea hero Michael Ballack 'all good' after cancer scare forces major back surgery

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1325243/Chelsea-Michael-Ballack-All-Good-Again-Cancer-Scare-Major-Back-Surgery-News

[bigbluewillie 1,930]

On 28/04/2018 at 11:31 AM, Unionjack said:

A good way to send us off to Wembley the next day!

You're back where ya bin buddy

[bigbluewillie 1,930]

On 07/08/2020 at 8:14 AM, Vesper said:

Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has branded his fellow countryman Michael Ballack a "bastard"

Now "bastard" has been put into context.

[Vesper 30,207]

On 21/08/2020 at 3:22 AM, NikkiCFC said:

Chelsea hero Michael Ballack 'all good' after cancer scare forces major back surgery

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1325243/Chelsea-Michael-Ballack-All-Good-Again-Cancer-Scare-Major-Back-Surgery-News

glad to hear it was benign!

[NikkiCFC 8,331]

 

[Nero 1,874]

 

 

Edited August 5, 2021 by Patrick Bamford

[Johnnyeye 7,510]

horrible news, my condolences to the Ballack family 😞🙏 RIP Emilio

[Nero 1,874]

 

[Atomiswave 6,117]

No parrent should go through such things.....we are with you Ballack.

[Jype 6,398]

Damn, that's awful news. Thoughts are with the family at this time. 

[Hamilton 2,120]

Damn, thoughts with the family..

[Vesper 30,207]

Michael Ballack, 48, is dating model, 23, who was friend of his son before tragic death

Ex-Chelsea star Michael Ballack has found love with a stunning model who is over 20 years younger than him - who he met after the tragic death of this 18-year-old son

https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/michael-ballack-48-dating-model-33758023

Michael Ballack was once an industrious midfielder.

Patrolling the middle of the park for Chelsea and Bayern Munich, among others, the German star, who turns 48 on Thursday (26 September), was an icon in his homeland.

However, after retirement, Ballack would suffer heartbreak when his son, Emilio, 18, was killed in a quad bike crash in Portugal. As Ballack was grieving, reports suggested he found a new friendship with model Sophia Schneiderhan, who had been a close friend of his son.

The pair are now happily an item - and Sophia recently shared a snap of the pair in Sylt - a German island in the North Sea. Sophia showed off her good looks as Ballack wrapped his arm around her - commenting on the post with a love heart.

"You steal the show from the sunset," one friend of Sophia gushed. While a second said: "A good and harmonious couple, you look very beautiful and happy!"

Friends of the couple have admitted the relationship has been good for the former footballer and that neither was bothered by the 25-year age gap.

According to the Daily Mail, Sophia is a Munich-native, but spent her early years in France and is a fluent French speaker. However, upon moving to Germany she would attend a private school before pursuing a career as a model.

At the age of 13 she was talent spotted riding on the underground where she was wearing a Dirndl - a German folk costume often associated with Oktoberfest.

She was then spotted and then approached while in France by someone from a model agency. By 15, Schneiderhan was already involved in campaigns and editorials for Escada, a high-profile German fashion brand.

Sophia has over 129,000 followers on Instagram - where she loved to share updates from her and Ballack's life.