• Michael Ballack to have talks with Chelsea this week
• German midfielder had been a target for Schalke
Chelsea will hold more talks with Michael Ballack this week as both parties edge closer to extending the Germany international’s stay at Stamford Bridge when his contract runs out next month.
Ballack is recuperating after suffering ankle ligament damage in the FA
• Boateng says he was slapped by the Chelsea midfielder
• Tackle later in final put Ballack out of the World Cup
The Portsmouth midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng has hit back at accusations that he intentionally injured Michael Ballack in last Saturday’s FA Cup final, saying the Germany captain slapped him earlier in the match.
A dangerous tackle by Boateng ended Ballack’s dreams of lifting the World Cup as Germany captain, something for which the Ghana international later apologised. But Boateng believes his tackle was nowhere near as bad as the slap he received from Ballack earlier in the game.
“There is my foul on the one hand and his slap on the other, and I think that violent conduct is far worse than a foul,” he told Germany’s Sport Bild magazine.
“Ballack really does surprise me. He complains for weeks when [Lukas] Podolski slaps him and yet he does it himself. He is no better than Podolski. What kind of behaviour is that?”
Boateng has also criticised the Germany coach Joachim Löw for saying that his foul on Ballack deserved a red card, having previously shown mercy to his captain after he clashed with Podolski during the 2-0 World Cup qualifying win over Wales in April 2009.
“When I hear that, I can see that he has two different ways of seeing things,” added Boateng.
“Can his captain slap whomever he wants? That was clearly violent conduct. If I had done that, I would have been banned for years. That is why I left the Germany set-up to represent Ghana.”
Boateng switched allegiances earlier this year after realising he was unlikely to break into the senior Germany squad despite coming through the youth ranks from under-15 to under-21 level.
He is due to come up against Germany in the World Cup this summer when the two nations clash in their final group game in Johannesburg on 23 June.
GermanyWorld Cup 2010World Cup 2010 Group DChelseaPortsmouthGhanaPremier Leagueguardian.co.uk
• Chelsea midfielder insists Germany career is not over
• Will miss World Cup after suffering FA Cup final injury
Germany captain Michael Ballack insists his international career is not over, despite being forced to miss the World Cup due to injury.
Ballack picked up an ankle injury in the FA Cup final after being fouled by Portsmouth’s Kevin-Prince Boateng and has been told he will not be able to play again for at least two months.
Ballack told Germany’s Bild newspaper: “I won’t let my international career come to an end because of a foul like this. I never said that I would retire after the World Cup. I want to continue playing at the highest level and I will consider things in calm over the next few weeks.”
Ballack’s future for Chelsea should also be resolved in the next few weeks and he is optimistic that a new deal will be reached with the Premier League club.
“Chelsea are absolutely my first option. We are in contact with the club. The coach first of all wants to discuss things internally and then he will approach the players in a week.”
But first, Ballack must somehow come to terms with the fact he will miss what would probably be his last chance to become world champion.
“I gave everything for the goal of South Africa and now the World Cup has been taken away from me in a brutal way. It is bitter to be hacked down in such a way in the last game of the season. It hurts.”
While Ballack considers his own future, the national team coach Joachim Low is pondering not only who should take Ballack’s place in his team, but also who should wear the captain’s armband.
Ballack, who has flown to Germany’s training camp in Sicily “to be part of the family” and “to help me come to terms with this blow quicker”, had a few words of advice for the coach.
“Schweini [Bastian Schweinsteiger] has got to do it now and take on more responsibility. He is self-confident and has the class. I don’t see anybody else who shows such a presence and sets the tone like him.
“As for the captain, I don’t want to add to the speculation – it is hard enough for the coach. There’s [Philipp] Lahm, Schweini and [Miroslav] Klose.
“Miro has had an unfortunate season, but he has a high standing in the national team. His experience is important. And, being captain could give him a boost.”
GermanyWorld Cup 2010 Group DWorld Cup 2010ChelseaPremier Leagueguardian.co.uk
