Group F: Chelsea v Spartak Moscow:DIDIER DROGBA returns to the Champions League this evening with his manager, Carlo Ancelotti, offering a timely public reminder that Chelsea's chances of claiming a first European Cup are dependent upon retaining discipline in the contests ahead.
The Ivorian striker has missed the start of the club’s group campaign for the third successive season as a result of a Uefa suspension prompted by his actions on Chelsea’s elimination from the competition the previous year.
There have been red cards in the final against Manchester United in 2008 and against Inter last season, and a retrospective three-game ban imposed for his furious reaction to Barcelona’s success on away goals at Stamford Bridge in the semi-final of 2009.
While Drogba’s domestic form has flourished in recent seasons, the player perhaps benefiting from rest while his team-mates participate in the gruelling group stage, there is an acceptance the league champions boast a relatively thin squad this year.
With that in mind, they can ill-afford to be deprived of the 32-year-old in the latter stages of the Champions League, qualification for which will be assured by victory against Spartak Moscow this evening.
“The Champions League is decided on little details, and things like injury and suspension are these little details,” said Ancelotti, who won the European Cup twice as a player and twice more as a manager with Milan.
“Control the recovery of the players, avoid injury and avoid yellow cards or red cards. This is very important. To do our best we need to have all our players – and obviously our strikers who can provide our goals.
“If Didier maintains the level he has reached in the Premier League and keeps scoring goals, that will give us a fantastic chance of reaching the final of this competition.
“He’s a big player for us. That sending off [against Inter] was a bad moment. He made a mistake and, obviously, I hope that never happens again. Maybe it was frustration. When you are sure you have lost the game and you are out of the Champions League, it’s normal to have a little bit of frustration. It’s difficult to speak about the past but I’m sure with [Michael] Essien fit and Drogba we can do better compared to last year in the Champions League. We have more possibilities to win when Drogba is in the team.”
Ancelotti will be without Frank Lampard again this evening but remain hopeful he may play some part – if only from the bench – at Liverpool on Sunday.
Florent Malouda will also be absent against Spartak after twisting his ankle in the victory at Blackburn on Saturday, when Jose Bosingwa was unwell, though Ramires returns to the squad.
Chelsea would ideally like to offer younger players such as Patrick van Aanholt, Gael Kakuta and Josh McEachran time on the pitch tonight with the trip to Anfield in mind, though they are aware of the threat posed by Spartak, who have posted back-to-back domestic league wins since losing to the Premier League champions last month.
They beat Russian league leaders Zenit St Petersburg before a 2-1 victory over mid-table Rostov at the weekend when Republic of Ireland international winger Aiden McGeady scored a penalty in added time.
Ancelotti reiterated yesterday he was content with the size and quality of his squad and does not envisage entering the transfer market in January.
“We have a fantastic squad,” he said. We can be competitive in all competitions. We have to maintain the squad and control the players’ recoveries, which is why I want the players who play against Spartak to be fresh.”
Guardian Service
