BALLACK SAYS NO TO MIRACLES

 

Michael Ballack insists his World Cup dream is over, despite being approached by 'wonder-healers' who claim they could cure him within a fortnight.

 

The Germany captain was ruled out of the South Africa finals after suffering serious ankle ligament damage in Chelsea's FA Cup final win over Portsmouth just over a week ago.

 

Germany doctor Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt said it would take up to eight weeks for the 33-year-old to fully recover but several other doctors have claimed to have trialled ground-breaking treatments which could have Ballack back on his feet within two weeks.

 

That would mean the former Bayern Munich performer would be fit for his country's opening World Cup fixture against Australia in theory, but the Chelsea midfielder is not holding his breath.

 

 

BOLA BOYZ   CHELSEA  SOCCERTALK

 

INTER MILAN IS CHAMPION OF EUROPE

 

Diego Milito was overcome with emotion after his two goals handed Inter Milan their first European Cup win in 45 years with a 2-0 win over Bayern Munich, and the striker's first continental trophy of a career that has blossomed in the past year.

 

Milito struck twice in the Bernabeu as Inter defeated Bayern to claim the Treble with a deserved victory in the Champions League final. The brace took Milito's tally for the season to 30, ensuring his first season at the club following a move from Genoa has been wildly successful.

 

Focus will now turn to Mourinho's future after he became only the third coach in history to win the European Cup with two different teams, following in the footsteps of Ernst Happel and Ottmar Hitzfeld. Inter forward Goran Pandev certainly hopes the club retain the services of the self-titled 'Special One'.

 

BOLA BOYZ      SOCCERTALK

SVEN WARY OF THE KOREANS

 

Ivory Coast coach Sven-Goran Eriksson has said that Group G rivals North Korea could be a tough proposition for his side at the World Cup.

 

The North Koreans - appearing at their first World Cup tournament since 1966 - are very much an unknown quantity, but despite the fact that Eriksson is coming up against Brazil and Portugal in the group, he has his eye on the underdogs.

 

Eriksson also insisted that Chelsea striker Drogba would be crucial to his side's hopes of progressing in the competition, due to the goal threat he possesses.

 

 

BOLA BOYZ     CHELSEA

BENAYOUN MAY BECOME CHELSEA'S NEW TARGET

 

Chelsea are considering making a move for Liverpool midfielder Yossi Benayoun, with the Israeli international touted as a possible replacement for the out of contract Joe Cole. Cole is apparently no nearer to resolving his contract dispute with owner Roman Abramovich, and the feelers are already out to find a suitable replacement, though Benayoun could even be recruited if Cole stays. There are ample suitors for Cole, but he would like to stay at Stamford Bridge if he can come to an agreement over new terms.

 

However, a list of possible replacements has been put to manager Carlo Ancelotti and the Israeli is highly thought of by the Italian coach, who has now a much clearer picture of the players in the Premier League after his first season in charge of the club. He is also clearer about what is needed to improve the team that won the Double, but fell short in the Champions League.

BOATENG APOLOGISED TO BALLACK

 

Portsmouth midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng has apologised to Michael Ballack for the challenge which ruled the Germany captain out of the World Cup.

 

Boateng, who will represent Ghana - an opponent of Germany in the group stage - at the World Cup this summer, told Germany's Sport Bild magazine that he had already offered his apologies several times to Ballack.

 

"All I can do is apologise," said Boateng, who is the half-brother of Germany international Jerome Boateng.

 

"I was just too late and I hit him straight on"

 

"It looked stupid. I apologised to him twice on the field and now for a third time.

 

"I am sorry. It was not intentional."

 

Ballack is still letting the realisation sink in that he is going to miss the World Cup due to the ankle injury he picked up from the tackle.

BOLA BOYZ  CHELSEA

BALLACK OUT OF WORLD CUP

 

Germany captain Michal Ballack has been ruled out of the World Cup after injuring his ankle in Chelsea's FA Cup final win over Portsmouth. The German Football Federation (DFB) said Ballack underwent a scan on Monday which showed that he had partially torn a ligament in his right leg. The DFB said it would be eight weeks before he could resume training. The World Cup starts in South Africa on June 11.

 

Ballack limped off with during the first-half of Chelsea's 1-0 win over Portsmouth on Saturday after a late tackle by Kevin-Prince Boateng. Boateng was born in Berlin and represented Germany at U21 level, but has switched allegiance and will play at the World Cup for Ghana, who are in the same group as Germany.

 

BOLA BOYZ  CHELSEA
 

CHELSEA READY TO GET TORRES

 

Fernando Torres will be the subject of a world record bid from Chelsea within days. The total package of transfer fee and salary will make Torres a staggering £130 million investment. And Soccernet has been informed that owner Roman Abramovich is personally taking control of the project to bring the Liverpool striker to Chelsea.

 

Torres has been linked with Chelsea, Manchester City, Barcelona and Real Madrid for a some time but the Blues will be first to make a concrete offer. Abramovich is ready to release the cash following a Premier League and FA Cup double this season, but he is also acutely aware he could cut an alternative deal with Liverpool in need of new players.

 

BOLA BOYZ  CHELSEA

CHELSEA WIN FA CUP

 

Didier Drogba won the double for Chelsea with the only goal in a quite remarkable FA Cup final. Drogba's 37th goal of the season was a free-kick just before the hour that found the net with tracer-bullet precision from 20 yards.

 

It maintained Drogba's impressive record of scoring in all six competitive games he has played at the new Wembley and confirmed Chelsea as only the seventh club to complete the league and FA Cup double, a pretty significant achievement in Carlo Ancelotti's first season in charge.

 

But that does not even come close to telling the story of a game that saw Chelsea hit the woodwork five times before the interval, including a terrible miss from Salomon Kalou, Kevin-Prince Boateng fail to convert a penalty shortly before Drogba's winner that could have set up a fairytale finish to a shambolic season of turmoil at Portsmouth, and even Frank Lampard fire wide from the spot three minutes from time.

 

BOLA BOYZ  CHELSEA

CARRAGHER & COLE IN ENGLAND SQUAD

 

Jamie Carragher and Joe Cole have been included in Fabio Capello's provisional 30-man squad for this summer's World Cup in South Africa. It will be reduced to 23 players by June 1.

 

Liverpool stalwart Carragher, who announced his retirement in 2007, returns to provide cover in defence with Gary Neville overlooked entirely. Chelsea midfielder Cole has been plagued by injury for large parts of this season but his goal against Manchester United helped convince Capello he is worth another look.

 

Provisional Squad:

David James (Portsmouth), Robert Green (West Ham United), Joe Hart (Manchester City), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), John Terry (Chelsea), Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United), Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Ledley King (Tottenham Hotspur), Jamie Carragher (Liverpool), Matthew Upson (West Ham United), Michael Dawson (Tottenham Hotspur), Leighton Baines (Everton), Stephen Warnock (Aston Villa), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Michael Carrick (Manchester United), James Milner (Aston Villa), Theo Walcott (Arsenal), Gareth Barry (Manchester City), Joe Cole (Chelsea), Tom Huddlestone (Tottenham Hotspur), Scott Parker (West Ham United), Aaron Lennon (Tottenham Hotspur), Adam Johnson (Manchester City), Shaun Wright-Phillips (Manchester City), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Peter Crouch (Tottenham Hotspur), Emile Heskey (Aston Villa), Darren Bent (Sunderland), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham Hotspur).

 

BOLA BOYZ

QUEROZ NAMES PORTUGAL PROVISIONAL SQUAD

 

Pepe has been included in Portugal's provisional 24-man squad ahead of the World Cup, despite having been sidelined by a knee injury since December. The Real Madrid defender was a stand-out in a scrappy Portuguese qualifying campaign to ensure his place.

 

Coach Carlos Queiroz had previously indicated he had "one or two'' doubts about the fitness of certain players. Portugal reached the semi-finals of the World Cup in Germany four years ago, but face a difficult task to get out of their group in South Africa after being draw against Brazil, Ivory Coast and North Korea.

 

Provisional Squad:
Beto (Porto), Daniel Fernandes (Iraklis), Eduardo (Braga), Fabio Coentrao (Benfica), Paulo Ferreira (Chelsea), Ricardo Carvalho (Chelsea), Ze Castro (Deportivo La Coruna), Bruno Alves (Porto), Rolando (Porto), Ricardo Costa (Lille), Duda (Malaga), Pepe (Real Madrid), Miguel (Valencia), Tiago (Atletico Madrid), Deco (Chelsea), Raul Meireles (Porto), Nani (Manchester United), Miguel Veloso (Sporting Lisbon), Pedro Mendes (Sporting Lisbon), Simao Sabrosa (Atletico Madrid), Hugo Almeida (Werder Bremen), Liedson (Sporting Lisbon), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Danny (Zenit St Petersburg).

 

BOLA BOYZ