Michael Ballack is back in a Bayer Leverkusen shirt this season – and he is a man with unfinished business.
When the German midfielder was released by Chelsea, he jumped at the opportunity to head back to the club where he spent three seasons between 1999 and 2002. Leverkusen have slumped disastrously since Ballack moved to Bayern Munich and are equally delighted to welcome the midfielder back.
Though he had already won a Bundesliga title at Kaiserslautern before joining the club, it was in the Leverkusen shirt that Ballack really became a household name and a fixture in the German national team. And though he would go on to win titles both in Germany and England, it was at Leverkusen where he enjoyed the biggest rollercoaster season – and most unforgettable season – of his career.
Leverkusen were considered as possible title contenders heading into the 2001/02 season, but no one foresaw the adventures ahead. Yes, they had some talented performers – Ballack was joined by the likes of Lucio, Ze Roberto and Oliver Neuville – but the likes of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund grabbed more of the headlines.
What followed was a fairytale campaign under manager Klaus Toppmoller – without the happy ending. Leverkusen reached the German Cup final, only to lose 4-2 to Schalke. Ballack and company put together an even more impressive charge in the Bundesliga and were in contention heading into the final day of the season. Again, they were cruelly denied at the last hurdle, losing two of their last three games and handing the title to Borussia Dortmund.
But the achievement that stands out the most was reaching the Champions League final. And English clubs certainly knew all about Leverkusen by the end of the campaign as Toppmoller’s men ousted Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United en route to the final in Glasgow. However, there was a familiar ending as a phenomenal Zinedine Zidane volley sunk the Germans 2-1.
Toppmoller worked wonders with a small squad and deserved more recognition than he received. Challenging on three fronts cannot have been in the minds of even the most optimistic Leverkusen fans and ultimately the congested fixture and weary legs cost Ballack and his team-mates dearly – but the manager performed an outstanding balancing act.
If this triple heartache was not painful enough, Ballack suffered more misery in the summer as Germany lost to Brazil in the World Cup final. The midfielder was suspended for what would have been the biggest game of his career and watched helplessly as Ronaldo grabbed the headlines.
So it is fair to say that 2001/02 will forever be on Ballack’s mind. There were so many high points, but the quest for silverware ended with no winners’ medals.
While the German seemingly went from strength to strength after completing a switch to Bayern Munich (he won three Bundesliga titles), Leverkusen crumbled to the brink of relegation in the 2002/03 season. But their recovery has been swift. They have since returned to the Champions League – without the success of 2002 – and qualified for the UEFA Cup. Last season, Leverkusen finished fourth, just two points outside the Champions League spots, and will compete in the Europa League this year. The feeling among supporters is that Ballack’s arrival might just throw the club into the Bundesliga title race.
His second stint at Leverkusen will be markedly different. The current squad is far removed from the heroes of 2001/02, but the German is a different player now too. He no longer has the pace and energy to be the box-to-box presence that sparked so many famous victories – and will play as more of a deep-lying playmaker. But do not expect him to take things easy – after all, he will be driven by a motivation to return to the German national team and reclaim the captain’s armband, having missed the World Cup through injury.
Ballack has been quick to reveal his excitement at returning to a club that holds many memories for him. After signing the two-year deal with Leverkusen, he said the move ticked all the right boxes: “With my transfer to Bayer Leverkusen a circle is complete. I had a beautiful and successful time here, on which I like to look back on a lot. That was a factor in my decision. But above all the good sporting potential of this young and attractive team were persuasive. I am especially looking forward to the great fans, who naturally have been key in my decision to return to Bayer.”
His last campaign for Leverkusen ended with three huge disappointments. Now Ballack has a chance to take a happier spot in the club’s history.
