Ballack believes Blues are the strongest team in Europe
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Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack believes Blues are the strongest team in Europe
Feeling blue: Ballack missed out on Chelsea's FA Cup winning celebrations in 2007 but the German hopes to join the party this time round at Wembley
Barcelona's Champions League triumph will only serve to intensify Chelsea's nagging mood of missed opportunity, and Michael Ballack maintains there was nobody stronger than them in Europe this year.
Guus Hiddink's team nullified the Barca threat for 180 minutes of their semi-final against the Spanish champions, only to be beaten on away goals after Andres Iniesta's equaliser in stoppage time of the second leg at Stamford Bridge.
Ballack said before Saturday's FA Cup final against Everton: 'We've played a good season with a lot of good performances. In the Champions League especially, I think we were one of the strongest, if not the strongest, team. But we didn't get to that final, so this is our last chance to win something.'
Ballack's career has become almost as notable for its near misses as its successes. He has lost his two Champions League finals, was a runner-up at Euro 2008 and missed Germany's defeat in the 2002 World Cup final through suspension.
He was also injured two years ago when Chelsea beat Manchester United in the first FA Cup final at the new Wembley. The only trophy he has won in three years in London is the Carling Cup in 2007.'These things happen and you can't control them. It's just bad luck,' he said. 'While you are obviously happy for the team, there is also some disappointment.'But since the FA Cup final in 2007, those feelings have changed and now I know I helped contribute a lot on the way to the final, even if I didn't get to play at Wembley, so I definitely feel part of the victory.'
Ballack is by no means certain to start at Wembley. Hiddink has favoured a midfield trio of John Mikel Obi, Michael Essien and Frank Lampard in the three games since Barcelona.
Mikel will regard Chelsea’s season as a failure if his team do not lift the Cup.
The Nigerian said: ‘It has to be if we don’t win anything. We have to win.’
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Liverpool beat Manure and Chelsea twice in the league...does that make Liverpool better than those 2 teams?
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Barcelona beat Man U, that doesn't propel Liverpool to be on equal terms with the Catalans
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Dun think so
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To me, I feel had Chelsea beaten Barce in the semi-final, I believed they would have beaten United in the finals as well... Last year's lost was hurtful to them and it would have serve as an easy way to motivate their players...
The team is at its physical best right now... Not sure if they will get so close again in the near future with Drogba and Ballack's club future uncertain... And also, along with Lampard... they are all well into their 30s... Every year will make a difference to them physically... Its just another missed opportunity for them I guess...
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accept facts tht they lost..
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i strongly disagree
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Originally posted by 2cansam:
Barcelona beat Man U, that doesn't propel Liverpool to be on equal terms with the Catalans
Yeah, thats the point...he is not making any sense at all by coming out with that kind of statement... -
Cos he felt they were so close to beating Barcelona mah... And the referee's decision went against them... Chelsea is still a team that can't be under-estimated... But not too sure about the ageing part only... Though very skilful but too many over 30 yrs old players... Will it tell on them? This season for a while it looks like it did then when Guus took over it... it just disappear... But next season of course, everyone one year older...
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Yah, they will have a chance lah if they go to final but I don't think Manure will lost to Chelsea even then. I think SAF prefer to meet Chelsea than Barca in the final...
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Originally posted by sg_forum:
Liverpool beat Manure and Chelsea twice in the league...does that make Liverpool better than those 2 teams?
The answer is a 100% yes for the question on whether Liverpool better Chelsea. Somehow not true for winning championship lor.Man U won the EPL title cos they are more consistant and that all.
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and i belive ballack is the rason why chelsea cannot win league
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Originally posted by youyayu:
and i belive ballack is the rason why chelsea cannot win league
sie xing -
dalim the sour grape..........why is man utd more consistent than liverpool,becoz man utd is better than liverpool,tats y they are more conissitent than pool.and 100% sure chelsea is much beter than liverpool the stupids!!
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i prefer chelsea vs barcelona at the finals..
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Chelsea strongest in the world ? Money is it ?
Even money , not as rich as Man City , right ?
Football ?
or players wages ?
if football ..... my comments same like all above ..
Crap la .... i am not taking seriously .
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i agree that Chelsea player is ageing but then they are still better than all other team.
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barca
is the best
u watch ucl finals
can tell
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Originally posted by milkboi24:
i agree that Chelsea player is ageing but then they are still better than all other team.
pound to pound , some ageing players can be in fact better than some teams from the lower half of the EPL .