Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack has admitted he was disappointed at being left out of the starting line-up for Sunday’s Carling Cup final.
The German international came off the bench two minutes from the end of normal time, but could not prevent Chelsea from falling to an extra-time defeat to Tottenham.
“I am not happy that I did not play but I have to accept it like everybody else who did not start,” Ballack told the Evening Standard. “It was not explained, it was on the team-sheet shortly before the game and that was it.”
Ballack has told his team-mates to overcome the disappointment of losing to Spurs by focusing on the Champions League and Premier League.
“We have to keep going in the other competitions,” added Ballack. “We still have a strong team and good chances to win the Champions League.
“Okay, in the Premier League we are nine points behind Arsenal, but we still have hope and we have to remember that and concentrate. We have to start again.
“We didn’t start very well yesterday and couldn’t control the game. Tottenham looked sharper,” noted Ballack.
“We did too little to win a final. Now we have to think about why we didn’t win and do better in the future.”
