Chelsea boost as Michael Ballack gets back in action ahead of meeting Manchester United

05 August 2009 12:47
Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack is raring to go after putting his latest injury behind him. The Germany international missed four pre-season games as he recovered from a broken toe before playing for the reserves in a 4-0 win over a QPR XI on Tuesday. With Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti set to play a diamond formation, Ballack is aware that competition for places in midfield will be fierce. And with that in mind he is determined to get his season off to a flying start when Chelsea face Manchester United in the Community Shield at Wembley on Sunday. 'I feel good. It was important to come back quickly and good to have a game like this to come back,' Ballack said. 'I have trained really well during the time I was injured on the bike and in the pool so I could keep up my fitness level. Now I'm happy to be back. 'It's always disappointing to be with the team (on pre-season trip to USA) and have to go back from such a nice tour but it was better for my recovery because there were a lot of flights over there. It was better for me to come back and recover over here. 'We are now using a completely new system with the diamond. We played it under Jose Mourinho a few times and some of the players know it. 'We have to adapt again because we have four in the middle with no wingers and a lot of the possession is different offensively and defensively, so we have to train a lot. 'We are doing double training sessions at the moment but I am used to doing that from Germany and it is normal in pre-season to work harder. There is a lot to do to prepare for the new season.'

Source: Daily_Mail