Ballack hits out at Blues over op

Ballack held talks with Chelsea's head coach in an attempt to clear the air after his treatment 11 days ago provoked a furious response.

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Unhappy: Michael Ballack feels let down by Chelsea over his recent ankle operation

The midfielder's future at Stamford Bridge is in doubt as Mourinho is not thought to have sanctioned the micro-surgery directly, but Ballack is determined to stay and has blamed the club's medical department for the dispute.

It is understood the Germany captain has claimed Chelsea's experts missed a problem of a small loose bone above his ankle after he damaged it at Newcastle last month.

A statement issued on bahalf of the German Football Federation on Ballack's condition said "an immediate operation was necessary and indispensable".

Ballack is also thought to have told boss Mourinho that continuing to train or play with the problem could have caused serious long-term damage.

Conflicting accounts of communications between Ballack, the medical department and the Portuguese after the player flew to Germany to get a second opinion have clouded the picture further as Chelsea's season of in-fighting re-ignited.

Despite the seriousness of the allegations against Chelsea's medical department, which is led by doctor Bryan English, the midfielder was hoping the club would make a statement backing him.

That has not been forthcoming but one was issued by the German authorities on behalf of the national team doctor, Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt.

It said: "An immediate operation was necessary and indispensable. Wohlfahrt detected lose splints in Ballack's left high ankle. Any further practice session or another game potentially could have endangered the player's health, even threatened Ballack's career.

"Muller-Wohlfahrt has ensured us, that he had informed Chelsea's two physicians before he performed the surgery."

Ballack is expected to be fit for the FA Cup Final on 19 May against Manchester United but Mourinho's response to his claims are key to his future.

After defending the 30-year-old all season Mourinho has made thinly-veiled attacks on him and Andriy Shevchenko, who was due to undergo season-ending surgery today on a troublesome groin after also falling out with the head coach.

Following confirmation United were champions with Chelsea second after Sunday's 1-1 draw at Arsenal, Mourinho said: "Of course during the season you have some players who don't perform so well.

"The pillars, the big men who are ready to fight every day, they can go home and look in the faces of their wives and kids. It is the same thing I am going to do."

Frank Lampard has also added to the suggestions that Chelsea have lacked unity in their squad, with Shevchenko and Ballack not integrating fully.

He said: "There have been other problems at the club and they have to be addressed, simple as that. We cannot lose the spirit that has got us where we are, with certain people."