Michael Ballack will be missing a few games after he is down with a certain virus. "Michael Ballack has left today's training session because of the effects of a virus," Leverkusen's communications head Meinolf Sprink told the sports news agency SID. "After a conversation with the team doctor and the player, there is no cause for concern."

Michael Ballack, who missed last year's World Cup through injury, came on at halftime on Thursday to help his team beat second division Rot-Weiss Oberhausen 2-1 in a friendly.