It has been less than three years since Sarah Dabritz left Munich for Paris. After that, in 2019, she would never have imagined that she would play a game at the Munich Arena when she returned to her Bavarian homeland. On Tuesday she will take on Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of the quarter-finals (6.45 pm) in the Champions League at FC Bayern. And a dream will come true.

“Honestly, I never thought about it again,” Dabritz told DW, but when he saw the draw and Bayern Munich got the draw, “it really happened to him that maybe we could play at the Munich Arena.” And so will it be, Debritz and Paris Saint-Germain will be received by Bayern for a Champions League cracker in a 75,000-seat arena in Munich – a scenario that would have been completely unimaginable in Munich when they were young. But the growing interest in women’s football in the boardrooms of top European clubs such as Bayern Munich and UEFA has meant that this year’s Champions League quarter-finals are being played in all stadiums except the one usually reserved for men.

Däbritz, the leading player in the DFB dress, which he has worn 85 times in the senior team

“To me it’s just a positive feeling. You get a positive mood when you enter such a stadium. You’re playing on a pitch that’s perfect. Then you see the stadium, it’s beautiful,” Dabritz he said. “And I hope we play in front of a lot of fans. That’s the atmosphere we want. It gives us inspiration and more strength.”

in a leadership role

Debritz continued to mature in Paris, in the Arnold Clark Cup, an invitational tournament with Germany, England, Canada and Spain, with Dabbritz leading the DFB selection on the field as captain – scoring just one point in three matches. A big step though. “I’m 27 years old and I’ve played a lot of games for the national team and clubs. I consider myself a seasoned player and I try to help the young players who come to our team,” Dabritz said in a statement. says about.

The former Freiburg native was surprisingly nominated for the 2013 European Championships, where Germany won the title. As of 2016 he celebrated a title in the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich, won the U20 World Cup and won an Olympic gold medal with DFB selections. Playing abroad was the next challenge for Dabritz, which he achieved unlike many other German national players.

He said of his time in Paris, “The difference in culture has helped me as well as different styles of play. It all helps you grow as a player and a person. I draw from my own experience.” I’m really happy.” , where he also shared Zilen’s personal life: “When I went abroad, it was important for me to quickly learn the language and adapt to the culture. I think it worked out quite well and I was part of the team.” The club and the environment integrate more quickly.”

high demand for tickets

Despite being able to adapt quickly off the pitch, Dabritz faced a major challenge just months after joining PSG. In December 2019, he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during the game against Montpellier.

The women’s match between FC Bayern and Paris Saint-Germain will be played at the Munich Arenas.

She says her own positivity and the support of family, friends and social media followers allowed her to draw positively from a serious injury at such an important stage in her career: “This injury made me even stronger mentally.” Diya – as a person, but also on the field, she helped me overcome all the challenges during the injury.” Now she feels really comfortable, enjoying playing in another country and looking forward to playing at home again, says the 27-year-old.

And there is a lot of interest in Dabritz’s surroundings in guest appearances with his current club at the former club: “I got a lot of messages after the draw,” Dabritz recalls. “He contacted me and directly asked for tickets for himself and for family and friends.” North of Munich the stage is set for the hosts of Dabritz, PSG and FC Bayern.

Adapted from English by Jörg Strauschein