Claudio Pizarro: Between Soccer and Horses

Claudio Pizarro is used to testing his luck. It comes as no surprise that race horses are his passion. And like he does at the race track the Peruvian keeps his cool when it comes to negotiating the extension of his contract with Bayern Munich.

"It's all still open. There's still time. My contract runs until 2007 and I'll stay at Bayern for at least that long."

But what if Bayern Munich and Pizarro's agent Carlos Delgado can't agree?

"Then I'll have to find another club."

The striker has a clear idea of what requirements a new club would have to fulfill.

"I have no problems with languages"

"Even if I don't have any favorites, it'll be a team just as strong and big as Bayern, a team that plays for the Champions League title.

In Spain?

"That would be nice, but it's not necessary. I have no problems with languages. I adjust quickly. Perhaps Italy or England."

The owner of 50 Argentine race horses follows the most important American races from home, through a horse racing channel on satellite TV. Pizarro never won any big sums on horse betting. Once $300 (235 euro), another time $500, but then he had to split it with a friend. He bets for the fun of it.

He knows that a lot more money is at stake at Bayern Munich. A sum similar to superstar Shevchenko's salary, something that Chairman of the Executive Board at Bayern, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, bemoans.

"That's speculation from one side or the other. Everyone sees the situation differently," says Pizarro and adds with a smile to the question if Rummenigge's worries are reasonable: "Of course. It's no different from what any player who plays well would demand."

Plans to start

His goal against Spartak Moscow gave him new confidence. "It took some time before I was fit again. The coach was very patient and I'm happy that my goal opened the way to our victory."

Pizarro now sees himself as a player for the starting eleven. "I hope so. I believe in it. I will definitely not just play the role of a wild card if I stay at my best performance."

He hasn't set himself an easy task if you consider that Lukas Podolski and Roque Santa Cruz also want to be part of the first squad. The Peruvian, whose first job after finishing school was helping out in a print shop, stays calm.

"It's good for the coach to have so many options. We play in several competitions and it's only good for us to take turns. That's how we all stay fit."

The only thing that bothers Pizarro is the communication with coach Felix Magath. In an interview with a Peruvian radio station Pizarro said: "You never know where you stand with (Magath)."

He explains: "Well, the coach only tells us a day before when the next training session will be and only two hours before a game who will play. You get used to it, it's part of the game, but I think it would be easier and better if I were informed earlier."

This does not stop the Peruvian striker, who loves to dance to Brazilian music and who likes a party whenever he comes across one, to get along well with his teammates.

"German is officially the only language here, but almost everyone speaks Spanish." Almost all? Even Podolski? Pizarro replies: "We're slowly teaching him Spanish. We've already taught Poldi swear words and greetings."

Playing for Peru: non-negotiable

Pizarro still has two dreams he wants to fulfill. The first is to represent his country at a World Cup. That's why he ignores the critical voices raised about his long journeys to play for the Peruvian national team. "I'll keep playing as long as my country needs me. That's not negotiable."

The second dream is to win the Champions League. Perhaps with Bayern. "There are players here who already had the honor. I haven't and for that I work hard. If not here, then somewhere else, but this dream is something I want to fulfill and it's something a potential new club must have as one of their goals."

Claudio Pizarro's future only holds one certainty: a visit to the hair dresser. "I've got a ponytail because my hair's simply too long. It's not a fashion statement. I haven't had time to have my hair cut… OK, I had the time, but I was too lazy to go there. But it really is overdue."

Daniel Martinez interviewed Claudio Pizarro (ps)