Michael Ballack

[Jase 43,479]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2290087/Michael-Ballack-testimonial-announced-June-5-Jose-Mourinho-Bastian-Schweinsteiger-attend.html

Former Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack is to host a testimonial on June 5 in Leipzig.

The one-time Germany captain will be accompanied by some of the sport's most illustrious names including Jose Mourinho and Bastian Schweinsteiger on an evening he says he wishes to use 'to say goodbye'.

[zolayes 14,489]

i hope Chelsea show him respect ... He was true class

[OneMoSalah 8,885]

One of the most talented midfield players of the 21st century.

[Jase 43,479]

His testimonial match tonight will be played at 7pm UK time. Think it will be shown on TV somewhere. Firstrowsports has listed it in their football stream list today.

[fabiomad 22]

Its on 7:00pm on ESPN in the UK.

[different level 1,056]

It's a pity I couldn't watch the match. I'll always respect this guy, for the time he spent at Chelsea and for all his great performances with us. Easily the best German player in the early 00s, he was extremely unlucky not to win more accolades, 2002 especially was a nightmare as he was on the losing side of 3 finals - CL, Deutcher Pokal (Leverkusen) and the World Cup (Germany) and Leverkusen lost the Bundesliga on the last matchday. But if you look back and draw the line he had a hell of a career

[Badboy 1,526]

Couldn't stand this guy !

[Styles 9,790]

Quality player who had a very good career. He was at one point one of the very best players in the world(early to mid 2000s). Perhaps joined us a little too late in his career but still contributed a lot in his time here.

Ciao Capitano :tophat:

[Magic Lamps 11,692]

TBH, I could not stand Ballack, when he was here either, but that was mainly due to the German coverage, always overestimating Ballack's importance. I also think his arrival (+Shevchenkos's of course) was partly at fault for us not winning the league. We shifted to that dreadful diamond, so Lamps had to be played out of position and we had no width. we should rather have signed a proper winger to help out the ever-injured Arjen Robben.

Anyway one has to rate him for his professional contribution here, esp saving our asses multiple imtes in 2008. He never bemoaned that he never was more than second fiddle to Lamps and sacrificed his offensive instincts for the sake of the team.

I also rate him for single-handedly keeping GErman football alive in its darkest hours. He was by far the best German player of his generation and all these Schweinsteiger and Kroos bitches will never be nearly as classy and complete. Ballack was an old school box-to-box midfielder, he could defend, attack, head, was strong,great finisher and passer, expert freekick and penalty taker, the most important player for any team he played in besides Chelsea, one of the last of his kind.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

[BlueLyon 9,359]

Ciao capitano! Great player, I would have him ahead of any current german player to be honest.

Good luck

[NishC300 1,865]

Ballack is a brilliant pundit.

[zolayes 14,489]

Ballack is a brilliant pundit.

pity he wasn't on the pitch for us

[OneMoSalah 8,885]

He came out and said some things about Mikel afte the game that we need to play him as he's vital to our game! Or along that lines.. man knows what hes on about

[NiclasCFC 2,582]

Happy Birthday Legend!