Michael Ballack scored 17 goals from 105 league games whilst at Chelsea and scored 27 in 167 games in all competitions since joining in 2006 on a free transfer from Bayern Munich.
On the 27 August 2006, Ballack earned his English League début for Chelsea against Blackburn Rovers.
In making his UEFA Champions League début for Chelsea against Werder Bremen on the 12 September 2007, Ballack scored his first goal for Chelsea. Ballack added his first league goal on the 21 October 2006 against Portsmouth at home with a header.
His first FA Cup goal came in the 109th minute in a semi-final match against Blackburn Rovers on the 15 April 2007, to win 2-1 at Old Trafford to seal a cup final place.
On the 26 December 2007, Ballack made his league return, after a long standing injury, in a thrilling game against Aston Villa. He came on for the injured Frank Lampard. In first-half stoppage time, he won a penalty after being brought down in the box by Zat Knight, which Andriy Shevchenko converted.
In the 88th minute, with the score tied at 3–3, Ballack stepped up to take a free-kick, which he buried into the bottom left corner , the match ended in a 4–4 draw, with Gareth Barry scoring a last minute penalty.
Ballack, has always stepped up and scored vital goals and, on 26 April 2008, he scored a header and a penalty to give Chelsea a 2–1 win over Manchester Utd. He was named Man of The Match for his performance. With two games left in the season, his performance brought Chelsea on level terms with the eventual champions Manchester Utd.
Ballack captained the Chelsea team in the absence of John Terry and Frank Lampard in a 2–1 victory over Newcastle Utd on the 29 December 2007. Ballack then went on to play his 50th game for Chelsea and scored the winning goal in a 2–1 win against local rivals Fulham.
In his final season at the club, Ballack played as a deep lying playmaker in the Makelele position as well as alongside Frank Lampard in the Centre Midfield.
Scoring in 2 of the first 3 home league games against Tottenham Hotspur and Burnley, he also scored away at Sunderland, meaning 3 goals in 6 league games.
He helped guide Chelsea to an impressive start to the campaign, at a crucial time when Frank Lampard was short of goals.
Ballack achieved his best season with Chelsea winning the League and FA Cup Double.
Michael Ballack’s Chelsea Honours:
* Premier League: 1 (2009–10)
* FA Cup: 3 (2006–07, 2008–09, 2009–10)
* Football League Cup: 1 (2006–07)
* FA Community Shield: 1 (2009-10)
TheChels.org would like to thank Michael for being part of record breaking and memorable time in Chelsea’s history and wish him all the best for the future.
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