Former Liverpool defender Markus Babbel has revealed he was close to joining Real Madrid before signing for the Reds in 2000, but now regrets how his Anfield spell came to an end.
Babbel joined Liverpool on a free transfer from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2000. He helped Gerard Houllier's side win a famous treble and qualify for the Champions League in 2000/01. The right-back was ever-present in the Premier League and started all 60 of his appearances, scoring six goals and bagging five assists.
A near-move to Real Madrid
Speaking to the Liverpool Echo on behalf of NewBettingSites.uk, the now 53-year-old recounted how an agent offered him $1m to sign for Real Madrid. “Yeah, yeah, Real Madrid wanted me,” he said. “And it was a funny story because there was an agent there. He said: ‘Listen, tomorrow I will bring you a $1m if you're not going somewhere else, if you sign for Real Madrid. And I said: ‘Oh, thank you very much, but Real Madrid is not my club’.”
He added: “If I go to Spain, then the only team I would sign for is Barcelona, because I am a massive Barcelona supporter and Real Madrid wasn't ever my club and my team. They have the best players, but this is not my club.”
Babbel recalled the irony of the situation: “And, the funny thing is, I was on the way to Liverpool to sign the new contract. 6am in the morning and on the radio, the news came: ‘Spectacular, Markus Babbel is signing for Real Madrid! And I was on the way to Manchester, and driving over to Liverpool to sign the contract. That was a bit funny.”
Illness and the end of his Liverpool career
Babbel started Liverpool's Charity Shield and European Super Cup victories over Manchester United and Bayern the following August. However, after being taken off at half-time in Premier League games with West Ham United and at Bolton Wanderers, out of breath, he was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome and left in a wheelchair.
He battled back to fitness, returning in August 2002, but struggled to rediscover his previous form and fell out with Houllier. He was later sent off twice while playing for the reserves, with the Reds' French boss later confirming that Babbel had no future at the club.
Regrets and reconciliation
Looking back, the German regrets how his Liverpool career ended. “Yeah (I have regrets) but this is part of my life now,” he admitted. “You know, of course, I was a bit sad because after this fantastic first season. I always say, okay, this illness happened, you know, I can't change it anymore. And it was a bad period.”
He added: “The only thing that I sometimes think, if this illness would come, a year later, you know, that I could play a second year for Liverpool. But it's happened, you know, and to be fair, after this illness, I wasn't the same person as before.”
Babbel revealed he had made peace with the late Liverpool manager. “Afterwards, the good thing for me was, the 25th Hillsborough anniversary, there was a game in Liverpool at Anfield,” he said. “I was invited as well. And Gerard Houllier was the manager. I went to him. I said: ‘Boss, I understand everything what you did. You were absolutely right. I was totally wrong. Sorry about this, but my head was lost. I was lost’.”
He continued: “And so we had a good, good chat in this moment... But it is part of my life, you know. Of course I wish I could play a season, two seasons more for Liverpool. But, after this illness, I wasn't the same person anymore.”
Babbel went on to spend the 2003/04 season on loan at Blackburn Rovers before joining VfB Stuttgart on a free transfer in the summer of 2004, where he remained until 2007 before retiring. Spells in management at Stuttgart, Hertha Berlin and Western Sydney Wanderers followed.
