Ziegler backing Bundesliga-bound Borrello
Western Sydney Wanderers recruit Patrick Ziegler has backed former Kaiserslautern team-mate Brandon Borello to shine in the Bundesliga after the Australian attacker signed with SC Freiburg.
The pair struck up a friendship while playing for Bundesliga 2 side FC Kaiserslautern last season and Ziegler says he’s delighted to see Borrello get a crack at the Bundesliga.
“I spoke to him, and he was very excited to be there, it’s obviously a great opportunity for him,” he said.
Borrello’s scintillating season in the german second division was cut short by a serious knee injury, but Freiburg saw enough to offer him a long-term deal, which Ziegler believes is a testament to its faith in the Australian attacker.
“Obviously they wanted him for four years so they trust him to come back from his injury.”
Ziegler knows the demands of Germany’s top flight, earning Bundesliga promotion with Paderborn in 2014, and the 28 year-old believes his game made the step-up more seamless.
“My playing style was very good for the Bundesliga because I like to have the ball at my feet and play so for me it was not very difficult to adapt because I like the playing style in the Bundesliga," he said. “The Bundesliga is more technical and a lot faster than the second league so you have to get used to it.”
As a key figure in Paderborn's defence, Ziegler faced the daunting task of containing some of the best attacking talent in world football, but there’s one Bundesliga star which stood out from the rest, Bayern Munich goal-machine Robert Lewandowski.
“I think Lewandowski was my toughest opponent, he’s not just waiting for the goals, he is fighting all the time,” Ziegler said. “He’s always looking for runs It’s not easy to play against him and I thought he was the best striker I faced."
After a long career in Germany, Ziegler was looking for a new adventure, and sought the advice of Borello before making the move to Western Sydney Wanderers.
“For me it’s a new experience as a player and also as a uman I wanted to see something new," Ziegler said. "I know everything in Germany, every team every league and I saw everything there so for me it’s an adventure and a new experience.
“I heard a lot about the league from Brandon Borello, I talked to him before so I know a liyyle bout the football”
“He told me it’s a tough league, it’s a powerful league its also technical the teams want to play football and that it’s very professional.”
The other major drawcard for Ziegler was the chance to work under former Bayern Munich and Liverpool defender Markus Babbel, who took the reigns at the Wanderers in the off season.
“Of course, I had several phone calls with him and he told me about the club and the league and after these talks I was very excited to come here,” he said.