Sergej Barbarez announces retirement - TalkSoccer

**Oliver_Kahn** · 10-11-2006, 01:46 PM

Sergej Barbarez can look back on a colourful Bundesliga career. bundesliga.de met up with the Bayer 04 Leverkusen's Bosnian star.

Sergej Barbarez has played for several Bundesliga clubs, involving Hansa Rostock, Borussia Dortmund and Hamburger SV.

Now the 35 year-old plays for Bayer 04 Leverkusen. In 280 Bundesliga matches so far, Barbarez has scored 87 goals.

bundesliga.de: Sergej Barbarez, your German football career got an unusual start. In 1991 you did some training sessions with Hannover 96. Can you tell us about that?

Sergej Barbarez: The reason why I came to Germany was to visit relatives and I wasn t planning to play any football here in Germany. I had just signed my first professional contract to move up to the top team from the youth squad on my team in Bosnia. I was really happy. But in the two weeks I was here the situation in Bosnia had gotten worse. As everyone knows, war broke out in early 1992. Without my knowledge, my uncle had arranged a training try-out for me with Hannover 96. I trained with the team on January 4th and they were pleased with me. That s how I began playing football in Germany.

bundesliga.de: Is there anything you could pass on, from your experience as a foreign player, especially one coming from Eastern Europe, that would be really helpful?

Barbarez: You have to believe in yourself and you have to take a good look at the way things work in Germany. You have to accept a lot of things and not approach them the same way you would at home. That is what worked for me anyway.

bundesliga.de: You were the top scorer in the Bundesliga in 2001 - together with Schalke s Ebbe Sand. Was that a special highlight in your career?

Barbarez: Naturally it was for me personally. It was a really great time for me, especially when you consider only two other players had achieved that in Hamburg before me: Uwe Seeler and Horst Hrubesch. I was very proud.

bundesliga.de: In 2005 you were named "Man of the Year" and "Sportsman of the Year" in Bosnia. How did that come about and how do you feel about it?

Barbarez: You can only feel a great sense of satisfaction when you re not at home any more but you re still held up as an example, and that you can still do something for your homeland, even if you live outside the country.

bundesliga.de: You re also involved in community work - you support a children s home. What motivates you to do that and how did you get involved?

Barbarez: I think that for me helping others is obvious since I ve achieved something in my life and gotten somewhere. I simply want to help people in my home country who are affected by the war, especially children who have no homes. I simply have to do it, and there are a couple of projects in Mostar that I support and the Children s Home is one of them. It came about through friends that I visited and I made a few contacts. I saw how the children live and it s very sad. I felt obliged to do something and I ve been active for a few years now. I'll stay involved for longer as well.

bundesliga.de: You re 35 now. But when you re on the pitch you re just as emotional and euphoric as earlier. Will that always stay the same? Aren t you going to calm down with age?

Barbarez: (Laughs) I ve always said I play football with emotion and I live on emotion. And as long as I m having fun playing football, I ll continue to play that way. When you see me on the pitch and I m no longer gesturing and showing my emotions, then I ll know too, that I ve come to the end of my career...

**Oliver_Kahn** · 10-11-2006, 01:46 PM

He's starting to make an impact on the tean, he scored 3 goals in the last 2 games.

**Oliver_Kahn** · 11-03-2007, 12:22 PM

On Thursday night Sergej Barbarez was on UEFA Cup duty with Bayer Leverkusen, losing their quarter final first leg tie 1-2 away to Lens. The Bosnian striker who joined Leverkusen from HSV at the end of last season, will make an emotional return to the AOL Arena in round 25 of the Bundesliga on Sunday (11.3.07, kick off 5.00 pm). The former HSV crowd favourite kindly agreed to give hsv.de an exclusive interview ahead of the game, during which he talks about Bayer's new goalkeeping shooting star René Adler and of course the "Emotional moments" he expects on his return to his "second home".

hsv.de: Hello Sergej. Bayer lost 1-2 away to Lens on Thursday. Is it a good position for the second leg?

Sergej Barbarez: We are satisfied despite losing the game. We were easily the better side before the red card. We controlled the game and we are in a good position ahead of the second leg.

Bayer are one of the most technically gifted sides in the Bundesliga, but lack consistency. Why are they so erratic?

Sergej Barbarez: If we had been able to play consistantly all season we would be challenging for a Champions League place. I must admit though that there have been games in which we were awful. Despite that fact, we have improved recently and we are still on course for our season goals.

Bayer have won their last two Bundesliga matches; are you happy with the development of your team?

Sergej Barbarez: Since beating Blackburn we have shown that we are on the right track. We operate well as a team and are full of confidence. We want to carry on like that in the future.

HSV have won their last four league games...

Sergej Barbarez: True. HSV are a good side. It is plain to see that their run of success has given them confidence. Two teams will face each other on Sunday and I expect an exciting game, as they usually have been in the past.

You have watched HSV's progress from distance. Did you expect them to battle their way out of the relegation zone?

Sergej Barbarez: Of course I did. I was certain that HSV could do it. The four straight wins after the winter break were crucial and that those results boosted the team's confidence. Without that confidence they wouldn't have survived away to Schalke.

Rafael van der Vaart is considered doubtful for the game against Bayer. Would it be an advantage for Leverkusen if he didn't play?

Sergej Barbarez: Rafa is an extraordinary player and I really enjoyed playing in the same team as him. He has recently reached top form and is scoring crucial goals. But that doesn't matter to us because we must concentrate on our own matters.

The young Leverkusen keeper René Adler has been hitting the headlines for all the right reasons lately...

Sergej Barbarez: The lad is sensational. He was out injured for eight months, but he has come through the ranks to prove that hi is rightly our number one keeper.

Will your return to the AOL Arena on Sunday be a special moment for you?

Sergej Barbarez: I have always said that after Bosnia, Hamburg is my second home. Of course, emotions will play a major role. I am looking forward to the game, but I play for Bayer now and I am very settled here.

What kind of reception are you expecting?

Sergej Barbarez: (laughs) I will have to wait and see. I always had a special relationship with HSV fans. They know exactly how highly I regard the clubc.

Who will win on Sunday?

Sergej Barbarez: As I said, I play for Bayer now and we want to take three points home with us.

**Trim** · 11-03-2007, 01:36 PM

Barbarez hasn't scored for some time, so I wouldn't be surprised if he finds the way back to the goal just against HSV.

**Oliver_Kahn** · 11-03-2007, 02:14 PM

He is a good striker, but he has been crap for Leverkusen this season.

Only Kiessling has been good

**Oliver_Kahn** · 14-03-2007, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Sergei Barbarez is set to spearhead Bayer Leverkusen's attack in Wednesday's Uefa Cup clash against Lens.

The former Bosnia international has been given the nod by coach Michael Skibbe as his side look to overturn a 2-1 first-leg deficit from their trip to France last week.

Skibbe feels the 35-year-old striker's experience will be crucial as Leverkusen bid to clinch a place in the quarter-finals.

"Sergei gets the backing he deserves. I don't event think about questioning his qualities," said Skibbe.

Andrei Voronin or 23-year-old Stefan Kiessling will partner Barbarez in attack at the BayArena.

Skipper Carsten Ramelow, who missed Sunday's goalless draw at Hamburg with knee problems, is expected to be fit to play.

"I am looking forward to a big European night. With the backing of our fans we should be able to get past Lens," added Skibbe.

But the Leverkusen boss will have to fill the void left by the loss of Karim Haggui after the Tunisian defender was sent-off in the first-leg.

With Brazilian Roque Junior still not fit, Jan Callsen-Bracker looks set to take Haggui's place in the heart of the defence.

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**Trim** · 14-03-2007, 07:15 PM

Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 Lens

Leverkusen beat Lens and now progress to the next round of UEFA Cup.
One of the goals in this match was scored by Barbarez.

**Oliver_Kahn** · 15-03-2007, 02:29 PM

He is 35 but he is still has class

**Trim** · 31-03-2007, 04:04 PM

Mainz 1 - 3 Bayer Leverkusen (76' Zidan /42' & 45' Barbarez, 52' Schneider)

Barbarez with a brace as Leverkusen take 3 important points.

**Oliver_Kahn** · 31-03-2007, 10:29 PM

Barbarez finally woke up

**Oliver_Kahn** · 06-05-2007, 05:33 PM

Bayer Leverkusen 1 - 2 Arminia Bielefeld

19' [0 - 1] A. Wichniarek
30' [1 - 1] S. Barbarez
83' [1 - 2] J. Kamper

Barbarez scores but Leverkusen loses to Arminia

**Trim** · 08-05-2007, 06:42 AM

Barbarez hasn't been what Leverkusen expected from him.
Everyone expected him to score more. He hasn't helped Leverkusen much.

**Oliver_Kahn** · 12-05-2007, 12:06 PM

I also thought that Barbarez would lead the atack, but he has been disappointing

**Trim** · 31-07-2007, 01:53 PM

Bayer Leverkusen will be without Bosnia forward Sergej Barbarez for the first game of the new Bundesliga season.

The 35-year-old injured his ankle in the friendly with Roma at the weekend and is definitely out of the meeting with Energie Cottbus on August 11.

Barbarez could miss further games with the problem, although he has not torn ligaments.

INJURY BLOW FOR BARBAREZ : Sporting Life - Football | Football Transfers, Germany Bundesliga News, Fixtures, Results, Match Reports, Standings

**Trim** · 15-08-2007, 07:39 PM

Sergej Barbarez has overcome his injury and is back in team training with Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen.

Barbarez injured his left ankle in the friendly against AS Rom on July 29th.

It remains to be seen whether the veteran will be healthy enough for the match on Sunday against his ex-club HSV.

Barbarez's teammate Carsten Ramelow has been training individually with conditioning trainer Holger Broich since the captain sustained a calf injury.