Babbel back in Bundesliga
Friday, July 16, 2004
Article summary
Former Germany defender Markus Babbel is joining VfB Stuttgart after being released by Liverpool FC.
Article body
'Agreement reached'
The Bundesliga side's general manager, Jochen Schneider, confirmed today: "We have come to an agreement." Babbel, 31, has had a medical and will put pen to paper on Monday at Stuttgart's training camp in Austria.
'Very good team'
Babbel said: "It is a great move, to VfB. They are an interesting club who have virtually come back from the dead and now have a very good team." Babbel will fill the gap left by Marcelo Bordon's departure for FC Schalke 04.
Liverpool treble
After a spell at Hamburger SV, Babbel spent seven years at FC Bayern München before joining Liverpool in 2000. He helped the English club win a treble of trophies in 2001 but was then sidelined by a debilitative illness. He eventually returned to fitness and made 25 league appearances on loan at Blackburn Rovers FC last season. Babbel also won 51 caps for Germany and was a UEFA European Championship winner in 1996.
UEFA Cup wins
Stuttgart, who finished fourth in the Bundesliga last term, will enter the UEFA Cup in the first round. Babbel has won the competition twice before, with Bayern in 1996 and Liverpool five years later.
