Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho admits Michael Ballack faces being frozen out.

Mourinho said: "In a 4-4-2 there are only two central midfielders, which is something he's used to. In a triangle in the midfield, that is the best position he plays - if he plays, because we have a lot of good players competing for places."

Ballack arrived from Bayern Munich as the world's highest-paid player at £130,000-a-week but struggled to make an impact in his first season and is not on Chelsea's tour of the United States as he recovers from an ankle injury.

Mourinho added: "When he comes back he'll start from zero and will face the others in top condition. So I don't think it will be easy for him."