Five who played for both: Bayern Munich and Chelsea | OneFootball

Bayern Munich and Chelsea meet at the Allianz Arena in the Champions League tonight.

Two titans of European football begin their Champions League campaigns under the lights, with each eager to start the season in positive fashion.

There’s an intriguing sub-plot with Nicolas Jackson free to Chelsea this evening, despite joining Bayern Munich on loan from the Blues earlier this month. Jackson is not the only player to have represented both clubs and we’ve picked out five of the best.

Five who played for both: Bayern Munich and Chelsea

Mark Hughes

Mark Hughes represented some of Europe’s top teams during a distinguished career, including spells on the continent with Barcelona and Bayern Munich. Hughes joined Bayern on loan from Barcelona in 1987/88, having struggled to establish himself in Spain.

He made 23 appearances for the German side, scoring seven times, and won admirers for featuring in two competitive fixtures on the dame day. In November 1987, he played for Wales in a Euro 1988 qualifier against Czechoslovakia before flying across the border to feature as a substitute for Bayern against Borussia Mönchengladbach in the DFB-Pokal.

Hughes joined Chelsea in 1995, via a successful second stint at Manchester United. Across three seasons in West London, the Welshman scored 39 goals and lifted the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup.

Brian Laudrup

Bayern Munich broke the Bundesliga transfer record to sign Brian Laudrup from Uerdingen in 1990. The Denmark midfielder was a popular figure despite a lack of silverware and ACL injury that decimated his second season.

He scored 11 times in 63 games for Bayern before joining Fiorentina after impressing in Denmark’s shock Euro ’92 triumph. That year saw Laudrup finish fifth in the FIFA World Player of the Year vote despite his injury-hit club campaign.

After spells in Italy and Scotland, Laudrup signed for Chelsea in 1998. However, he endured an unhappy time in West London that comprised of just seven Premier League appearances.

Euro ’92: The brothers Laudrup and a very Danish fairy tale

Arjen Robben

Chelsea won a competitive race to sign Arjen Robben in 2004, agreeing a double deal to sign the Dutch winger and PSV Eindhoven teammate Mateja Kezman. While the latter struggled, Robben shone despite injury problems in the Premier League. He helped Chelsea to back-to-back Premier League titles and was shortlisted for the PFA Young Player of the Year in his debut year.

Robben moved on to Real Madrid and added another league title to his cabinet, but was forced out two seasons later as the Spanish side brought in players including Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka. Bayern swooped to sign the winger and Robben produced the best performances of his career in Germany.

He was named Footballer of the Year after winning a German league and cup double in his debut season, the start of a trophy-laden period.

Robben won eight Bundesliga titles and the Champions League among his honours, scoring a dramatic late final winner in the latter success. That goal atoned for a costly penalty miss a year earlier, as Bayern lost to former club Chelsea in the 2012 decider.

Robben ended his time at Bayern having scored144 goals in 309 games.

Arjen Robben: The ‘one-trick pony’ who couldn’t be stopped

Claudio Pizarro

Claudio Pizarro’s brilliant Bundesliga score saw the striker climb to sixth on the all-time goal list. The Peruvian scored 197 goals in Germany’s top division, 87 of which came across two spells at Bayern Munich. He netted 125 goals in all competitions for Bayern and won six Bundesliga titles during his time in Bavaria.

Pizarro joined Chelsea on a free transfer in 2007 but had a limited impact in England. He netted just twice in 27 league appearances and returned to Germany after falling out of favour under Avram Grant.

Michael Ballack

One of the great German footballers of the modern era, Michael Ballack signed for Bayern Munich having impressed at divisional rivals Bayer Leverkusen.

His four seasons in Munich brought a wealth of team honours, including Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal doubles in 2003, 2005 and 2006. He was named Footballer of the Year in Germany three times in four seasons between 2002 and 2005.

Ballack signed for Chelsea on a free transfer in 2006 in search of a new challenge and elusive Champions League title.

Though the latter evaded him, including defeat in the 2008 final to Manchester United, he did win six trophies with the Blues. That haul included a Premier League and FA Cup double in 2009/10.

Read – Iconic Performances: Petr Cech’s heroic showing in the 2012 Champions League final

See more – Midfield Magicians: Michael Ballack – Little Kaiser

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