Ballack lawyer targets Boateng

A lawyer for Chelsea star Michael Ballack said he intends lodging a complaint against Portsmouth's Kevin-Prince Boateng for the "intentional" tackle which ended the Germany captain's World Cup hopes.

Ballack was ruled out of the 2010 World Cup finals on Monday after a scan revealed torn ligaments in his ankle following a heavy tackle by Germany-born Ghanaian Boateng during Sunday's FA Cup final win.

The 33-year-old German will be sidelined for eight weeks, thus ending his hopes of playing what was likely to have been his last World Cup campaign in South Africa.

Ironically, Ghana are in Germany's Group D at the World Cup.

For the German's lawyer, Michael Becker, Boateng set out to injure Ballack intentionally.

"To me, what Boateng did was not simply an insidious tackle but was designed to intentionally injure," Becker said.

"We are now looking into all of our legal options, which could lead to both civil and penal consequences."

Ballack's injury and subsequent absence from the June 11-July 11 finals caused uproar in Germany, although Boateng said he did not set out to injure Ballack.

"I was late and I tackled him head on, it was really stupid. I apologised to him twice on the pitch, and now this makes it three times," he said.

"I am really sorry, but there was no ill-intention meant."