Chelsea Football Club

• Nickname:Blues
• Founded:1905
• Manager:Rafael Benitez

• Ground:Stamford Bridge
• Capacity:42440

Ballack feared for future

19 Dec 2007 - 12:54:29

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Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack feared his career might have been over while he was recuperating from his long-term ankle injury.

The Germany international has been sidelined since suffering the injury in a Premier League game against Newcastle United in April.

The 31-year-old is set to return to the Blues' first team in Wednesday's Carling Cup quarter-final against Liverpool, but revealed he feared the worst during his spell in the treatment room.

"I had thousands of questions, but I was never given any answers," Ballack told the German media. "I'm sure I got on everyone's nerves, but my injury was in my thoughts 24 hours a day.

"Sometimes I thought: You are 31 and have had 14 good years as a professional, maybe it's time to call it a day.

"I thought at first that it was a question of three or four weeks, but then everything started to get complicated.

"First one operation, then another and none of the doctors wanted to tell me when I would be able to play again.

"After this injury problem, I'm particularly motivated for the 2010 World Cup finals. After that I will wait and see if I can play a year or two more."