Source: Team_Talk
Boateng blasts Ballack accusations
Portsmouth midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng has hit back at accusations that he intentionally injured Michael Ballack in the FA Cup final.[LNB] A dangerous tackle by Boateng saw Ballack's dreams of lifting the World Cup as Germany captain shattered, something for which the Ghana international later apologised.[LNB]But Boateng believes his tackle was nowhere near as bad as the slap he received from Ballack earlier in the game.[LNB]"There is my foul on the one hand and his slap on the other, and I think that violent conduct is far worse than a foul," he told Germany's Sport Bild magazine.[LNB]"Ballack really does surprise me. He complains for weeks when (Lukas) Podolski slaps him and yet he does it himself.[LNB]"He is no better than Podolski. What kind of behaviour is that?"[LNB]Boateng has also criticised Germany coach Joachim Low for showing mercy to his captain after he clashed with Podolski during the 2-0 World Cup qualifying win over Wales in April 2009 while saying his foul on Ballack at the weekend should have been sanctioned with a red card.[LNB]"When I hear that, I can see that he has two different ways of seeing things," added Boateng.[LNB]"Can his captain slap whomever he wants? That was clearly violent conduct.[LNB]"If I had done that, I would have been banned for years. That is why I left the Germany set-up to represent Ghana."[LNB]Boateng switched allegiances earlier this year after realising he was unlikely to break into the senior Germany squad despite coming through the youth ranks from under-15 to under-21 level.[LNB]He is due to come up against Germany in the World Cup this summer when the two nations clash in their final group game in Johannesburg on June 23.
