'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Former Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness has revealed that David Alaba once told him that his 'dream was to play for Barcelona'.
The Austrian completed his move to Real Madrid in the recently-concluded summer transfer window. Alaba signed a five-year deal with Los Blancos on a free transfer after his contract with Bayern Munich ran down in the summer.
Ahead of Bayern Munich's UEFA Champions League encounter against Barcelona, Hoeness made the revelation, while also taking a sly dig at the Catalan giants.
"He [Alaba] told me once: 'My dream is to play for Barcelona one day'. So I asked him if he wanted to negotiate with the resident or their bankruptcy administrator," Hoeness told Bayern 1.
Alaba has slotted right into Real Madrid's defense following the departures of Sergio Ramos to Paris Saint-Germain and Raphael Varane to Manchester United.
Alaba has already made three starts for Madrid this season, two of which came at the left-back position while he started as centre-back in the third. A muscular issue, however, kept him out of Real Madrid's 5-2 win over Celta Vigo.
Also Read: David James' column - Ranking the 5 best managers in world football at the moment
Bayern Munich are the favorites against Barcelona: Uli Hoeness
The last time Barcelona and Bayern Munich met in the UEFA Champions League was in the 2019-20 quarterfinals, where the German champions emerged 8-2 winners.
Hoeness believes Bayern will start as the favorites again in the upcoming UCL group stage encounter between the two sides. Since Barcelona will be without their important players, including Lionel Messi, who moved to PSG in the summer, the German side will readily have an advantage.
"Barcelona are no longer a role model for us. Bayern are the favorites because Barcelona can't be at their best due to the sales of important players and their economic problems," Hoeness said.
