Frank Lampard has claimed Drogba is nervous yet delighted at the prospect of returning to Stamford Bridge with his new side Galatasaray.
The Ivory Coast striker was voted by the clubs fans as their greatest ever player and departed the club for an ill fated spell at Chinese side Shanghai Shenhua after helping the Blues complete a memorable first ever Champions League win in 2011.
Lampard described Drogba’s departure as a massive blow and left a void Chelsea have yet to fill:
“You will see a return of a hero and rightly so with what he did with his last kick for us. But it wasn’t just that, there were finals galore, big games. In that dressing room behind the scenes he was a real leader and people didn’t see that. One that we have certainly missed, he was so complete.”
“He is the best I have played with solely for the fact of doing it in big, big games. there are lots of good players out there but he consistently scored goals in finals and popped up at the right time.”
“I have played against great players like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, they are probably the best but he is right up there without a doubt” Drogba arrived at Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2004 during manager Jose Mourinho’s first stint at the club, for a then record fee of 24 million pound.
The Ivory Coast international didn’t disappoint, he has been Chelsea’s most successful striker during the Abramovich years scoring 100 goals in 226 appearances for the club.
He won three Premier League titles, four FA cups, two league cups and helped Chelsea to their first ever Champions League title, scoring the equalising goal and the winning penalty against German side Bayern Munich.
Ahead of what is sure to be an emotional return to his former club Lampard said:
“I texted him after the draw because we still keep in touch, he was delighted and nervous actually because he said it would be difficult for him to come here to Stamford Bridge. He still sees it as his home and his love.”
“I said to him that once he gets back and has the reaction from the fans, he will absolutely love it, both games. I’m sure he will. The draw did have an air of inevitability. It is amazing how often these things happen in football.”
The last 16 tie against the Turkish champions Galatasaray represents a tough challenge for Mourinho’s men but they are regarded as heavy favourites to progress to the quarter finals of the competition.
