Michael Ballack Confident Florian Wirtz Will Shine at Liverpool After Slow Start
Former Germany captain Michael Ballack has expressed confidence that Florian Wirtz will soon showcase his full potential at Liverpool despite a slow start to life in the Premier League.
Michael Ballack backs Florian Wirtz to succeed at Liverpool, saying the £100m signing just needs time to adjust after his Bayer Leverkusen move.
Wirtz, who joined Liverpool in a £100 million (€116m/$136m) summer transfer from Bayer Leverkusen, is still waiting for his first goal contribution in English football. The 22-year-old featured in victories over Bournemouth, Newcastle United, and Arsenal as Arne Slot’s side collected maximum points before the international break.
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Ballack explained that Wirtz’s adaptation period is natural given the shift in his role. At Bayer Leverkusen, he was the focal point of the team, whereas at Liverpool, he must share responsibility with other star players. Speaking to German outlet BILD, Ballack highlighted that expectations from supporters and the player himself are high, but stressed that patience is required.
“There’s a lot of competition within the Liverpool team, and expectations of Florian Wirtz have increased from the outside. Or rather the expectations he has of himself,” Ballack said. “At the beginning, it won’t be like it was in Leverkusen, where everyone plays for him and he gets almost every ball. That’s why it’s legitimate that he still needs to find his way around a bit. But he’s such an exceptional footballer, so I’m not worried about him. For him and his development, the move to England wasn’t a bad move.”
During the international break, Wirtz gave a glimpse of his quality by scoring in Germany’s 3-1 World Cup qualifying win over Northern Ireland, helping Julian Nagelsmann’s side bounce back from a 2-0 defeat to Slovakia.
Liverpool return to action this Sunday with a Premier League clash against newly-promoted Burnley. Wirtz is expected to be in contention for a starting spot before the Reds open their Champions League campaign against Atletico Madrid at Anfield on September 17.
