Posted on Aug 17
Former Germany captain Michael Ballack looks set to begin his path back into the national side when he returns for Bayer Leverkusen at home to Tavriya Simferopol on Thursday in the Europa League.
The former Chelsea star missed last month's World Cup with an ankle injury and after his contract at the London club was not renewed the 33-year-old has returned to his former club Leverkusen and the Bundesliga.
Ballack will be making his first competitive appearance for Leverkusen since his return in the Europa League qualification game, but lost the German captaincy to Bayern Munich's Philipp Lahm during South Africa's World Cup.
He must wait to see if he will regain the captaincy when Germany begin their Euro 2012 qualification campaign against Belgium on September 3 in Brussels.
"Michael has trained with us fully and he has no complaints, things look positive for him," Leverkusen coach Jupp Heynckes told a local newspaper.
Ballack sat out Leverkusen's 11-1 win over FK Pirmasens in the German Cup, first round game last Saturday, but is expected to play in Bayer's opening Bundesliga game against Borussia Dortmund on Sunday.
Former Germany captain Michael Ballack, seen here in July 2010, looks set to begin his path back into the national side when he returns for Bayer Leverkusen at home to Tavriya Simferopol on Thursday in the Europa League.
Former Germany captain Michael Ballack, seen here in July 2010, looks set to begin his path back into the national side when he returns for Bayer Leverkusen at home to Tavriya Simferopol on Thursday in the Europa League.