Germany team manager Oliver Bierhoff is confident Michael Ballack isn't being forced out of Chelsea.

Chelsea have left him out of their Champions League squad for the group stages.

But Bierhoff said: "It is difficult for us to judge what is happening at Chelsea, we have obviously not had anything official from them.

"But this is a matter for the club and player only, it is not for us to get involved and I think the first thing he must do is to concentrate on getting himself fit and then he will be able to play his best football again."