Saturday, October 18, 2008

Ballack ruled out for Roma visit

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Michael Ballack will miss Chelsea FC's encounter with AS Roma on 22 October after being ruled out for three weeks following foot surgery, but skipper John Terry is fit to return from a back problem.

Operation
The 32-year-old midfielder suffered discomfort after Germany's midweek FIFA World Cup defeat of Wales and today underwent a minor operation in Augsburg for a neuroma, or swelling of the nerve, in each foot. His absence for Chelsea's home UEFA Champions League Group A game against Roma on Wednesday has been confirmed, with a question mark also against his participation in the return match in Italy on 4 November.

'Two or three weeks'
A German Football Association statement read: "A scan on Thursday confirmed the presence of neuroma. After consulting his club doctor, manager and coach, it was decided he should have immediate surgery." Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari said: "Ballack is out for maybe two or three weeks. I am not angry – I am happy because what happened is a test for me that I am a good coach."

Terry return
There is better news for Scolari as defender Terry has been passed fit to captain Chelsea at Middlesbrough FC in the Premier League on Saturday. The 27-year-old sat out England's games against Kazakhstan and Belarus this week. "John has recovered well and is in good condition," Scolari said. Namesakes Joe and Ashley Cole, however, skip the Middlesbrough trip because of their respective achilles and hamstring problems. Didier Drogba is still out with a knee injury but may be available to travel to Rome next month. Ricardo Carvalho remains sidelined by his knee complaint, but goalkeeper Petr Čech could return from a thigh injury.

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