Ribery confirms Barcelona interest

Asked about the rumours linking him with a move to Barcelona (read more here), Bayern Munich wing attacker and French international Franck Ribéry (25) is quoted as saying in an interview with German sports weekly paper Sport Bild that he knows about the interest:

"I know that Barcelona wants me. I use to talk regularly with my agent. I feel honoured but at this moment I'm only thinking about Bayern.

I feel very comfortable at this club although it's true that I have said that I don't see myself staying until 2011 when my contract expires because many clubs are interested to sign me. There have already been offers by Barcelona, Real Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester City. And it wasn't me who forced them to move."

In an interview with Munich tabloid TZ, Ribery said: "At this moment I'm not thinking about a transfer. I feel very good in Munich, the people like me, I like the fans, there's a good atmosphere among the players, so everything is fine. I don't know what cen happen in the summer but now I'm only thinking about what we can win with the team this season. I'm interested in nothing else.

But when people start speculating about my future, I can't do anything about that, that's not my fault. There are a lot of European clubs I dream of. But I repeat: I feel excellent in Munich. I have a contract until 2011. Everyone treats me and my family well. I feel at home here. What will happen next season, nobody knows. It's far too early to talk about that. I sure won't worry about my own future. We'll see..."

Asked about the presumed interest of AC Milan, Real Madrid and Barcelona, Ribéry said last week in an interview with French paper Le Monde: "So Barça is interested? (laughs) All the clubs you're mentioning make you dream but I feel very good at Bayern. I have a contract with the club until 2011. Everyone is good towards me and my German is getting better. I feel at home. On the other hand, I cannot stay indifferent when those big clubs ask for me. We will see what will happen... "

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain is convinced that Ribéry could be the missing piece on the left wing. Bayern would have accepted that the Frenchman will probably leave this summer and the German club will start listening to offers soon. Because Bayern Munich president Franz Beckenbauer wouldn't be pleased with the way Real Madrid is acting on the transfer market, he would prefer to sell Ribéry to Barcelona.

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Thuram rejected offer to become French minister

Asked about the rumour that French president Nicolas Sarkozy has offered him a post in the French government last December, former Barcelona player Lilian Thuram (37) has confirmed the offer in an interview with French newspaper Le Monde:

"It's true. I've met Nicolas Sarkozy and Claude Guénat, his chief of staff, who offered me to become Minister of Diversity.

We had a long discussion. But for obvious reasons (Thuram has been very critical about Sarkozy and his policies over the last few years, btz), I could only refuse the offer...

Politics is something very noble which doesn't allow that you're just doing it like that. You have to learn things. That's what I'm doing right now by meeting people with all kinds of views. At this moment I don't want to enter politics, but maybe one day..."

Lilian Thuram joined Barcelona in the summer of 2006, arriving from relegated Italian club Juventus in a package deal with right back Gianluca Zambrotta. He left the club last summer when his contract expired. Few weeks later, the Frenchman retired because of a heart condition. With Barcelona, Thuram won one Spanish super cup in 2006.

Read more:
OFFICIAL: Thuram retires
Heart problem could cause end of Thuram's career