Patrik Berger Bio Send To Friend  

Former Czech Republic international Berger joined Aston Villa on a free transfer from Portsmouth in june 2005, after a two-year stint on the south coast.

With new Pompey boss Alain Perrin preparing to restructure the side, Berger took advantage of being out of contract to accept a contract offer from Aston Villa.

He started his career in his homeland with Sparta Prague before moving to Borussia Dortmund, winning the Bundesliga title in 1995/96.

The winger then arrived in English football after a number of impressive displays on these shores for the Czech Republic during Euro 96, when they lost out in the final to Germany.

Berger was snapped up by Liverpool that summer for a fee of £3.25million. He scored four goals in his first two matches for Liverpool but until 1999/2000 he never really achieved his potential and was in and out of the side with injury.

But when Berger was fit he was a quick and incisive midfielder with a lethal left-footed shot.

Fitness was seldom the case. He picked up a serious knee injury when played away at Leeds United during the 2000/01 season and had to fly to the USA for an operation by the renowned Dr Richard Steadman, who also operated on fellow Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp, and returned to pick up a UEFA Cup winners' medal at the end of the campaign.

His season was again disrupted by injuries in the 2001/02 campaign, but he played a far bigger part than in the previous campaign.

In the summer of 2002 it was hotly tipped he would move on after boss Gerard Houllier strengthened the midfield. Celtic were tipped to seal the midfielder's signature but in the end he stayed at Anfield.

Berger rarely featured during the 2002/03 campaign, partly due to injuries but also Houllier's selection policy, and he left the club when his contract expired in the summer.

He was hotly tipped to sign for Leeds, so it came as something of a coup when Premiership newcomers Portsmouth managed to land his services on a free transfer at the beginning of June on a two-year contract.

Berger played 196 games for Liverpool, scoring 35 goals.

He made his Pompey debut in a 2-1 home win over Aston Villa, grabbing the second goal.

The Czech player was a real star for the south coast club, with his energetic and exciting performances helping them out of the blocks at pace.

He had already bagged five goals when injury cruelly ended his season in February. He injured his knee in a league game against Chelsea, forcing an operation.

Berger enjoyed a relatively trouble-free 2004/05, starting 30 Premiership games and making two further substitute appearances.

He left Pompey for Villa at the end of the season having scored eight goals in 60 appearances for the club.

Injuries also plagued his time at Villa Park and in November 2006 he was loaned to Stoke City in order to gain fitness. And in April 2007, Berger scored his first goal in two years against Blackburn Rovers in a 2-1 victory, with fans and pundits alike praising his performance.

In May 2007, Berger signed a one-year contract extension with Aston Villa.