For most people, playing in the Bundesliga for more than a decade would be the absolute pinnacle. But after 11 years in Germany’s renowned top-flight league, Tranquillo Barnetta became restless and eager for a new challenge.
He found it in MLS, as the former Bayer Leverkusen and FC Schalke standout signed a deal with the Philadelphia Union this week, marking the first time he’ll play for a professional team outside of Germany or his native Switzerland.
“I was looking for a new experience, for something totally new,” Barnetta said during his introductory press conference Friday at PPL Park. “And I think I found it here. Since the first contact with [head coach Jim Curtin and technical director Chris Albright], I’ve felt really good that this could be a new chance for me. I’m happy that at the end we could sign this contract so that I’m part of the Philadelphia Union.”
Barnetta cited the growth of MLS as one of the reasons why he wanted to try his hand in the United States, saying that one or two MLS games are now shown live on German television every week and that people are paying close attention to all of the recent high-profile transfers.
Curtin and Albright, meanwhile, first learned of Barnetta’s interest to play in the US through former Union goalkeeper Oka Nikolov, who knew Barnetta in Germany. And they immediately recognized it could be a good fit, especially because the 30-year-old Swiss international is younger than some of the league’s other big-time signings from overseas.
“Obviously those are great players, but comparatively, age-wise, we’re getting a player that’s truly in his prime,” Albright said. “As far as what we want to build and bringing in guys that are winners, that’s what Jimmy always talks about, guys that have always won before and will hopefully impart some of that knowledge to our younger guys who haven’t won as much. So I think in a lot of ways, he fits the profile of players we’d like to add now and going forward.”
Barnetta will be available for selection for Philly’s big Eastern Conference game against the New York Red Bulls on Saturday at PPL Park (7 pm ET) but Curtin said he doesn’t want to rush him into anything after a long week of travel. And although he’s itching to make his MLS debut, Barnetta understands that reasoning.
“I feel good, but of course I know that I need a little bit more time,” he said. “I was telling Jim that my legs felt a little tired. But also [Friday] was a good practice for me, so it makes the feeling better. We will see how it goes [Saturday].”
Whenever he does make his MLS debut, Barnetta will likely play in the central midfield, especially now that star playmaker Vincent Nogueira is out until the end of August with a pulled quad.
Although he’s also played out wide during his long and decorated career, which has included three trips to the World Cup with Switzerland, he said he prefers to be in the middle of the park at this stage of his playing days.
“I like it more because there you have more action with the ball, so you can change how you want to play with the team more,” Barnetta said. “I think in the middle is better for me, but last year at Schalke, it was seven or eight games on the right, also right back, so there are different positions where I can play.”
While it remains to be seen how Barnetta will exactly fit into the Union’s lineup, it’s fair to say he’s already fit in well with his new teammates off the field, with Curtin revealing that the Swiss newcomer bought the team dinner in D.C. this past weekend before he was officially signed.
And for Barnetta, that feeling of warmth has been reciprocated, which has already helped in what he knows could be a difficult transition to a new country.
“The team was really cool to take me in like I was playing here for a couple of years,” he said. “So it was really nice. And that was one step why I made this decision [to play] for the Philadelphia Union.”
Dave Zeitlin covers the Philadelphia Union for MLSsoccer.com. Email him at djzeitlin@gmail.com.
