Winning the Champions League with Chelsea will ease Ballack's pain

Michael Ballack is determined to win the Champions League so he can finally banish the memory of his worst season.

The midfielder was playing for Bayer Leverkusen six years ago and on target to win the Bundesliga title and the Champions League.

But Leverkusen threw away their lead at the top and lost the title before losing out to Real Madrid. To make matters worse for Ballack, Leverkusen also lost the German Cup.

His despair was compounded later that summer when Germany were beaten by Brazil in the World Cup final and Ballack finished the season with no silverware to show for his efforts.

The Germany captain, 31, who will lead his country into the European Championships this summer, is determined not to let it happen again with Chelsea.

But the Blues have already lost to Tottenham in the Carling Cup final, went crashing out to minnows Barnsley in the FA Cup and failed to pip Manchester United for the Barclays Premier League crown.

Next Wednesday, Ballack will attempt to end the hoodoo by helping Chelsea to beat Manchester United in Moscow and land the biggest prize in European club football.

"I was at Leverkusen and we were five points ahead in the league with three games to play and had reached the Champions League final," said Ballack.

"But we managed to still come second in the Bundesliga and then we lost the Champions League to Real Madrid.

"We lost the German Cup that year too and then Germany lost in the World Cup final against Brazil, so this is a golden opportunity to put it right.

"You don't go into these games to lose. I know what that feels like and I will give everything, absolutely everything, to win the final."

Ballack has certainly hit form at the right time. After a poor first season, the midfielder has won over the Chelsea fans with some inspirational performances during the final few months of this season.

His campaign only began last Christmas after a lengthy lay-off with an ankle injury. But despite featuring in only four months of Chelsea's season, Ballack has scored nine goals - two more than he got last term.

Goals against Fenerbahce in the Champions League, a brace against Manchester United and a fine header against Newcastle which took their Premier League dreams to the final day, have helped him to secure his place in the side.

Ballack believes he is in top form at the exactly the right time ahead of Wednesday's clash with rivals United and insists that Chelsea's fitness and strength of character will give them an edge.

"I am very happy with the way things have gone this season, especially after my difficult injury," said Ballack.

"When I returned to fitness I got back in the team very quickly because we had some injuries in the side which gave me my opportunity to make an impact straight away.

"But from my experience of previous years, I always tend to feel good at the end of a season.

"Even last season I was still feeling good and scoring some important goals at the end but then came the injury.

"But I said before the Champions League semi-final against Liverpool that I think we still look good and fresh as a team. We coped with playing 120 minutes in that game and scored two goals in extra-time.

"So I think it shows that we have a very good level of physical strength in this team. The final of the Champions League is one game so it is all in our hands.

"We are a strong team, mentally and physically, and we've shown that constantly during the season."