Ze Roberto Points The Finger At Magath

In an interview with Deutsche Welle, Brazilian Ze Roberto sets the record straight about two issues that have been swirling around him recently. Concerning his reasons for coming back to Germany after a one-year spell at Santos:

It would be a lie to not recognize that Brazil, like all of Latin America, has very grave social problems, but we never felt insecure or in danger, not my family and not me. The last year in my homeland was beautiful and I will return to Brazil, where I have left my loved ones, friends and my heart. I'm returning to Munich because it's good for my professional career, not because of fear.

As to why he left Bayern Munich in the first place:

Yes, that's right. Felix Magath robbed me of the joy of playing soccer. The time I played under his direction was one of the saddest and most difficult of my career. I have been under the direction of some of the most important and successful coaches in the world and they have always talked to me about what things are good or bad. Felix Magath never talked with me, never came close to me and evaded my attempts to get close to him. He simply ignored me. I was very unhappy during this time.

The 33-year-old's Bayern deal is through June of 2009.

Ze Roberto Happily Returns to Munich [Deutsche Welle]

-ac