Michael Ballack has admitted he would forever be haunted by Chelsea’s Champions League final loss to Manchester United but was ready to inflict more misery on his former club on Tuesday night.
Ballack is set to play at Stamford Bridge for the first time since leaving the Blues just over a year ago when Bayer Leverkusen begin their Group E campaign against the Blues.
The 34-year-old has the unique honour of being the only man to play in the biggest game in both clubs’ history, inspiring Leverkusen to the 2002 Champions League final before starting for Chelsea in the 2008 showpiece.
Unfortunately, the midfielder ended up on the losing side on both occasions, but it was perhaps the penalty shootout heartache in Moscow that was the more difficult defeat to take, with Ballack today saying: “It will haunt all of us for ever.”
Former Germany captain Ballack, who turns 35 this month, will receive a special presentation from Chelsea in recognition of his four years’ service before kick-off tomorrow night. He said: “The presentation is a very nice gesture and it will be a very emotional moment for me tomorrow.
“There are still a few players there and some who left in the meantime who I am still friends with and whom I am still in touch with, and also a few of the staff. When I moved to Chelsea, it was a big, big challenge and experience for me at the time to play with so many good players.
“If I look back, I had a very good time. I feel always welcomed by the fans and the club. They treat me always very well and we had success. We missed a few chances, but we had some successes and I will remember this always and it is a big part of my career.”
Bundesliga runners-up Leverkusen will be underdogs tomorrow but Ballack said: “It is just a game of football, although we are aware there are some big names on the other side. We will have our chances.”
He added of Chelsea, who have made a slower start this season than last: “Chelsea have not started like last year but you can’t start every year like last year. Especially in the last game against Sunderland, they looked in a good shape, very strong and confident, so that makes it not easy for us.
“They have great individual players but, as a team, it is maybe not the worst thing to play them now because the season has just started. We will know more after the game.”