Football: Michael: Ball is in our court

Sunday Mirror, Apr 20, 2008 by CHRIS HATHERALL

MICHAEL BALLACK says Chelsea are ready for the biggest nine days of their lives - with the Champions League AND Premier League at stake.

Chelsea face Liverpool at Anfield in the Champions League semi- finals on Tuesday before hosting Manchester United in the Premier League on Saturday and Liverpool again at home in the second leg of their Champions League clash on Wednesday week.

It all adds up to a mammoth nine-day test which will decide Chelsea's hopes of silverware.

Ballack insisted: "We are looking forward to all these games. Yes, it's a big nine days but we have to deal with it.

"You work very hard for a year to be in this situation and you have to win the big games at the end to win or lose a title.

"We believe we can do it. We have momentum.

"We know we have had a very difficult season with injuries and the African Nations Cup - it was hard for us. But we're still in with a chance.

"We had a lot of players out injured during the season, who had a lot of rest. So I expect a very strong Chelsea team in the final few weeks."

Ballack has missed large chunks of the season, out for almost nine months from April 2007 because of an ankle problem.

But he insisted: "We want to go to the final, so we have to beat Liverpool.

"It's a tough schedule but our mental as well as our physical strength can get us through it.

"We have shown that already."