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Chelsea confirmed Cole's departure when they announced German midfielder Michael Ballack and right-back Juliano Belletti would also be leaving.
BBC: Manchester United rule out move to sign Joe Cole
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Most famously, Abramovich wanted to bring relatively old players like Michael Ballack and Andriy Shevchenko, both aged 30, onto the team.
FORBES: No Way! Jose Quits Chelsea
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With the likes of Didier Drogba, Michael Ballack and Ricardo Carvalho recalled to the side, the Blues certainly looked capable of producing a result on paper.
BBC: Chelsea strikers Nicholas Anelka and Didier Drogba
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He has already made Portuguese midfielder Deco his first signing and also have the likes of Germany captain Michael Ballack and Michael Essien vying for a place alongside Lampard.
CNN: Chelsea reject Inter's Lampard approach
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Michael Ballack also saw red and Lampard scored a consolation penalty.
BBC: Chelsea 2-4 Man City
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Didier Drogba, Michael Essien and Michael Ballack were all on the bench, though their absence was hardly noticed as Chelsea outplayed their hosts in the opening 45 minutes.
BBC: West Ham 0-1 Chelsea
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But otherwise it was one-way traffic and after Michael Ballack's drive made it 1-1, Salomon Kalou slid in a second.
BBC: Southend 1-4 Chelsea
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Coach Voller will almost certainly include players who have cemented their reputations during Bayer's run, such as Michael Ballack, Berndt Schneider, and Carsten Ramleow.
BBC: Klinsmann's confidence in Voller
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Kirkland saved a header from Alex, Michael Ballack drilled a free-kick over the bar and Joe Cole narrowly missed as Chelsea looked for a decisive second goal.
BBC: Chelsea 1-1 Wigan
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Coming into the tournament without injured talisman Michael Ballack, doubts over the future of coach Joachim Loew and the second-youngest squad in the competition, many might have expected Germany to struggle in South Africa.
BBC: Germany 4-0 Australia
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Michael Ballack has been in something approaching his true form this season, and yet he was sidelined.
BBC: Ramos takes centre stage
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Ballack, who has been in impressive form himself alongside Lampard and Michael Essien in Chelsea's midfield, remains adamant the England international should have made the final six.
BBC: Lampard award snub shocks Ballack