Khedira warns Ballack over place in national team

Sami Khedira has warned Michael Ballack that his place in the Germany team is not something he can take for granted.

Khedira took Ballack’s place in the centre of midfield during the World Cup, which Ballack missed due to injury.

The 23-year-old impressed enough to earn a transfer to Real Madrid this summer and he now says he has absolutely no intention of making way for Ballack in the national team.

“I will certainly not voluntarily stand back when we are talking about places in the starting XI,” said Khedira in the Welt newspaper.

And he believes his move to Real Madrid can help him fend off the challenge of Ballack for a berth in the team.

“I can bring the experiences I gain (in Madrid) with me into the national team,” he added.

“From a sporting viewpoint, it is the next step towards being world class. I have always said that I want to become a top international player. With all respect for Stuttgart, whom I have a lot to thank, Real is in another category.”

Ballack also faces competition for the Germany captaincy with Philipp Lahm stating, like Khedira, that he is not going to give up his role without a fight.

Nevertheless, none of the trio is expected to be named in Joachim Loew’s next squad selection for a friendly international against Denmark on August 11.

Ballack, who has moved back to the Bundesliga to Bayer Leverkusen this summer, is still recovering from the injury which ruled him out of the World Cup while Lahm and Khedira are not yet back in training following their return from South Africa.