Former Leverkusen and Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov has shared his favorite meals for game days as the Just Eat Matchday Menu series kicks off, while also looking ahead to the thrilling Matchday 3 of the UEFA Champions League.
Berbatov has pinpointed the upcoming clash between Barcelona and Bayern Munich as a must-watch event. “They are two of the biggest clubs in the world,” the Bulgarian football legend stated. “I always enjoy watching Barcelona, especially since Robert Lewandowski is there.”
Bayern Munich also features their own standout forward, Harry Kane, who currently leads the Champions League scoring charts with four goals this season. Berbatov anticipates an exciting showdown between the two strikers: “It’s going to be a battle of the No. 9s.”
Bayern has dominated their recent encounters with Barcelona, winning the last six Champions League matchups. The most notable victory was an overwhelming 8-2 defeat during the 2019/20 season, orchestrated by former Bayern coach Hansi Flick, who is now at the helm of Barcelona.
In addition to Barcelona versus Bayern, Berbatov will keep an eye on Florian Wirtz of Leverkusen during Matchday 3. Wirtz, who made his Germany debut under Flick in 2021, was hailed by Berbatov for his ability to score and assist. “He’s someone who is always moving around the pitch and looking for space,” Berbatov remarked.
Leverkusen will square off against Brest on Wednesday. Berbatov, who played with Leverkusen early in his career, praised their remarkable performance last season and expressed enthusiasm for their continued progress.
When reflecting on his time at Manchester United, Berbatov shared that a pizza party often followed matches. “Sometimes, we’d have pizza after the game. There was always someone going straight for the food,” Berbatov reminisced.
However, his preferred cheat meal was Gamberoni pasta, featuring king prawns, which he enjoyed in large, spicy portions. He fondly recalled the fine dining experience during his tenure at Monaco, where he was a regular at a restaurant that provided him with a wide variety of choices.
On the topic of strikers, Berbatov compared himself to various fruits to illustrate the ideal forward. “First, we have mango, which represents me,” he said. “Then we have kiwi, symbolizing Robert Lewandowski, and lastly, watermelon for Didier Drogba. All three of us were excellent finishers, and Drogba was exceptional in the air. If we could combine our talents, we would create the ultimate striker.”