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FOOTBALL

Captain Ballack yearns for swan song

Retired ex-Germany captain Michael Ballack has said he is hoping to have a farewell game organised for him and has revealed he plans to get his coaching licence.

Captain Ballack yearns for swan song
Photo: DPA

The former Chelsea star, who turned 36 in September, retired from professional football at the start of the month after his two-year contract at Bayer Leverkusen expired having made 98 appearances for Germany.

Ballack turned down a offer by the German Football Federation (DFB) to make his final appearance in the friendly victory over Brazil in August 2011, but the midfielder says he still wants a farewell match.

“I would hope so. Of course, I would like to say goodbye to the fans,” Ballack, who spent four years with Chelsea, told Cologne newspaper Express when asked if he wanted a farewell match.

“I will at some point in the foreseeable future get my coaching license, bBut whether or not I will be a trainer, I can’t say yet.”

Bayer Leverkusen’s director of sport Rudi Völler says he wants to see a special game organised for Ballack.

“Everyone had assumed Michael would continue to play,” Völler told Bild on Sunday, having also advised Ballack to get his coaching license.

“Now we have to see whether we can organise a farewell match, it should be put together by the DFB, Ballack and Bayer.”

But it looks unlikely the DFB will be involved in any plans after Ballack turned down their initial offer.

“I personally think the time for a farewell match is gone,” Bierhoff told German television before pointing out neither former stars Jürgen Klinsmann nor Jürgen Kohler had farewell matches.

“Firstly, we have only a few dates available, so I see no chance anymore.”

AFP/bk

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RACISM

VIDEO: Spain’s La Liga reviews video of boy racially abusing Vinicius

Spain's La Liga on Monday said it was reviewing a video of a child making racist insults towards Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior during the 2-2 draw with Valencia at the weekend.

VIDEO: Spain's La Liga reviews video of boy racially abusing Vinicius

“We’re in the process of studying and analysing the facts from a legal standpoint to see what we can and should do,” La Liga sources said.

In a video published by a journalist for ESPN Brasil, and picked up by Spanish media, a boy sitting in a woman’s lap can be heard calling Vinicius a “monkey”.

The Brazilian scored twice for Madrid as his team recovered from two goals down at Mestalla on Saturday.

Vinicius raised his fist in a “Black Power” salute after the first of his two goals at a ground where he was racially abused last season. Valencia subsequently banned three people from the stadium for life.

The 23-year-old has become a symbol of the fight against discrimination in Spanish football after suffering racist abuse on many occasions, and he was jeered repeatedly by home supporters on Saturday.

Jude Bellingham was sent off after the final whistle against Valencia for protesting after the referee blew the final whistle right before the England midfielder headed home what he thought was the winning goal.

READ ALSO: Football star Vinicius highlights racist behaviour from Spanish fans

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