michael ballack played in the 2001/02 uefa champions league final with bayer 04 leverkusen and is now urging the club's class of 2011/12 to take their opportunity on the big stage.
michael ballack played in the uefa champions league final with bayer 04 leverkusen a decade ago and now, in his second spell with the club, the veteran midfielder is urging his younger team-mates to seize the moment on their return to europe's biggest stage.
in this exclusive video interview with uefa.com, ballack said: "why shouldn't the current team succeed as well? there are many young players, many players with huge potential, who have been lying in wait for this, to be able to play on this stage of the champions league, and now it's up to us, to each individual, to make the best of it."
ballack also discusses the threat of leverkusen's matchday three and four opponents valencia cf – a team with "much more experience" of the uefa champions league – but stresses that a top-two finish in group e remains their goal.
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