Ballack to miss Barcelona clash

Ex-Germany captain Michael Ballack is out of tonight's Champions League clash with holders Barcelona as the former Chelsea star suffered a calf injury on Sunday and sits out the Round of 16 tie.


Michael Ballack

The 35-year-old pulled up in training with a torn calf and is definitely out of the first-leg match in Leverkusen.
It completed a miserable weekend for Ballack, who won the last of his 98 caps for Germany in March 2010, after he was left on the bench for the third match running as Leverkusen lost 1-0 to German league leaders Borussia Dortmund on Saturday.

Ballack's contract expires in June and is almost certain to leave Leverkusen at season's end after a volatile few weeks which saw the German league club threaten to ban Ballack's agent Michael Becker from their stadium.

Becker fell foul of Leverkusen's director of sport Rudi Voeller at the start of February after saying Ballack was being treated like a 'pawn' by coach Robin Dutt, who has repeatedly kept the midfielder on the bench.
Lyon face Apoel Nicosia in the other Round of 16 tie tonight.