Michael Ballack could be heading for another run-in with Germany coach Joachim Loew because Chelsea don't want him to play against England a week today.

The Germany captain has just returned to training after a month out with a foot problem and Chelsea don't want him put under too much strain too soon.

He is unlikely to feature in the Carling Cup fourth-round tie at home to Burnley tonight, but could be included for the Premier League match at West Brom on Saturday, which is just four days before the friendly in Berlin.

Chelsea are hoping he will be given permission not to play for his country and first team assistant coach Ray Wilkins said: “It is an issue, but I'd like to think their coach will use his common sense.”

Meanwhile, Burnley captain Steven Caldwell is hoping to shake off a minor knee problem to help cause a major surprise of his own at Stamford Bridge tonight.

He believes anything is possible having watched his brother Gary score the winner for Scotland against France two years ago.

He said: “I sat at Hampden one Saturday and watched Scotland beat France 1-0 and you could never have believed that would have happened. And then, lo and behold, 11 months later they went to France and beat them 1-0 again. It's probably the same kind of magnitude as that. If we bring our best game at Chelsea and they're off their game we can win.”

Chelsea are set to make as many as seven changes from the weekend with Didier Drogba and Scott Sinclair starting in attack.