Dimitar Berbatov, the former forward for Leverkusen and Manchester United, shares his favorite gameday meals and anticipates Matchday 3 of the UEFA Champions League in the inaugural episode of the Just Eat Matchday Menu series.
He highlights the upcoming clash between Barcelona and Bayern Munich as the must-watch match of the round. “They are two of the biggest clubs in the world,” the ex-Bulgaria striker remarks. “I always enjoy watching Barcelona, especially with Robert Lewandowski playing for them.”
Bayern also feature a remarkable striker in Harry Kane, the England captain who currently leads the Champions League scoring chart with four goals this season. Berbatov is eager to see which striker will excel in this matchup: “It’s going to be a battle of the No9s.”
Bayern have been dominant in their recent Champions League meetings with Barcelona, having won their last six encounters. Former Bayern coach Hansi Flick, now at the helm of Barcelona, will be looking to change that narrative.
On Matchday 3, Berbatov will be keeping an eye on Florian Wirtz, a player Flick debuted for Germany in 2021. “He can score goals and provide assists,” Berbatov observes. “He’s always moving and finding space on the pitch.”
Wirtz, who plays for Bundesliga champions Leverkusen, will face Brest on Wednesday. “What Leverkusen achieved last season was remarkable,” Berbatov reflects. “They are building on that success this season.”
As for his favorite post-match meals, Berbatov fondly recalls pizza parties after games during his time at Manchester United. “Sometimes, we would have pizza after the game. There was always someone eager to grab food.”
However, his favorite cheat meal is a spicy Gamberoni pasta dish featuring king prawns. “I would have two or three servings,” he notes.
Berbatov also enjoyed the dining experiences during his later years at Monaco. “There was a fantastic restaurant where I could order anything,” he recalls, adding that the staff would recognize him immediately because of his frequent visits.
When discussing the qualities of a perfect striker, Berbatov uses fruit to illustrate his points. “First, we have mango, which represents me. Then there’s kiwi for Robert Lewandowski, and watermelon for Didier Drogba. All three of us were great finishers, with Lewandowski still going strong. Drogba was exceptional in the air; everyone remembers that Champions League header, right? That was a brilliant goal.”
“If we combine all three of us, we could create the ideal striker.”