What hurts worse for Ballack? His shin or the knowledge that Lahm's grip on the captaincy keeps growing stronger.
Michael Ballack suffered a shin injury this weekend that will keep the Bayer Leverkusen midfielder out of action for another six weeks. The injury occurred during the first half of a 2-2 draw against Hannover.
Scans on Sunday revealed that Ballack had suffered a microfracture to his shin.
Ballack’s return to the Bundesliga has not gone swimmingly so far. The former Chelsea man was just returning to fitness after an ankle injury suffered in the FA Cup final last season forced him to miss the World Cup this summer. The injury also helped his German teammate Philip Lahm lay greater claim to the captain’s armband.
On the eve of the third place match at the World Cup, Lahm made his intent to retain the armband clear to all.
With the fight for the position creating a distraction for the squad, Manager Jogi Loew ended the controversy by splitting the baby. Lahm will retain the armband until Ballack is fit and in form enough to return to the squad.
Ballack’s latest injury will force him to miss the next round of Euro 2012 qualifiers.
So, Philip Lahm remains captain for a bit longer. And, Michael Ballack is probably one step closer to not appearing for the German National Team ever again as captain.
I’d say we can call time on Der Kapitän. Great career, although trophy-less to the end.
Echo Shane. Watched the 1st part of this match before Ballack came out. He was lumbering about a bit and things were getting a bit chippy before he was injured. I think he was trying to get stuck in and got stuck instead.
Good riddance.
Update on Herr Ballack: it’s a shin break that will keep him out at least for the remainder of this calendar year.
At the risk of repeating myself: Good riddance.