Michael Ballack doesn’t believe in surprise champions

The former German national team captain Michael Ballack does not see the top form of 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 a little because they don’t have this squad like Bayern or Dortmund,” said the 46-year-old DAZN-expert dem SID. 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 Freiburg “first and foremost good football”.

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 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.