Ballack injury leaves Germany sweating
Reuters - Saturday 15 May 2010, 15:15
LONDON -
Germany captain Michael Ballack
will undergo a scan later on Saturday after limping off with an
ankle injury during the first half of Chelsea's 1-0 FA Cup final
victory over Portsmouth.
The
Chelsea midfielder, who is out of contract at the end of
the season, was left writhing on the Wembley pitch after a late
tackle by Kevin-Prince Boateng just before half time.
The 33-year-old Ballack, who could
have played his last
match for the club, was wearing a protective boot on his right
leg as he left Wembley and said he was concerned, despite an
early x-ray at the stadium showing he had not broken any bones.
"As long as I don't know the
result of the scan of course I
am worried," he told reporters after Chelsea landed their first
Premier League and FA Cup double.
A spokesman said, however, that
club doctors did not think
the injury would threaten Ballack's participation in the World
Cup which kicks off on June 11.
"We think it's minor damage to
ankle ligaments. The doctors
say he should be fine," the spokesman said.
Ballack, who has 98 caps, has
already been named in
Germany's preliminary squad for the tournament in South Africa.
Germany face Australia, Serbia and
Ghana in Group D at the
World Cup.
NEWS: Chelsea
retain FA Cup to do double
Follow FFT.com on Twitter
Join FFT.com on Facebook