Dimitar Berbatov, the former forward for Leverkusen and Manchester United, shared his favorite gameday meals and previewed Matchday 3 of the UEFA Champions League in the inaugural episode of the Just Eat Matchday Menu series.
Berbatov highlights the upcoming clash between Barcelona and Bayern Munich as the standout match for Matchday 3. He states, “They are two of the biggest clubs in the world. I always like watching Barcelona, especially with Robert Lewandowski in the team.”
Bayern boasts its own star striker in Harry Kane, who leads the Champions League scoring chart this season with four goals. Berbatov is eager to see which forward will take the spotlight in what he describes as “a battle of the No9s.”
Historically, Bayern has dominated their recent encounters with Barcelona, winning the last six Champions League matches. Hansi Flick, the former Bayern coach, was behind their most notable victory, an 8-2 rout during their journey to the 2019/20 title. Now, he aims to break that pattern as the coach of Barcelona.
On Matchday 3, Berbatov will also focus on Florian Wirtz from Leverkusen. Wirtz received his Germany debut from Flick in 2021. Berbatov praises Wirtz, saying, “He’s someone who can score goals and get assists. He’s always moving and looking for space.”
Wirtz will lead his team against Brest as they aim to build on Leverkusen’s impressive performance from the previous season, which Berbatov, who spent five years at the club, deeply appreciates.
In discussing his matchday meals during his time at Manchester United, Berbatov recalls enjoying pizza, describing post-game gatherings as “pizza parties.” For a cheat meal, he favors Gamberoni pasta with king prawns, savoring it spicy.
His culinary experiences extended to Monaco, where he recalls a favorite restaurant known for its wide variety of dishes, which recognized him as a regular customer.
Berbatov also shared his thoughts on the qualities of an ideal striker, using fruit as a metaphor. He identifies himself with mango, Lewandowski with kiwi, and Didier Drogba with watermelon, highlighting their finishing skills and unique attributes. “If we combine all three of us, we’ll make the best striker possible,” he concludes.