Interesting and emotional match in UEFA Champions League tonight Didier Drogba great hero of Blues,  play against his real home Chelsea.

All eyes will be fixed on one player when Galatasaray play host to Chelsea at the Turk Telekom Arena on Wednesday evening.

Ivorian international Didier Drogba will lead the line for the home side, having previously spearheaded the Chelsea attack for eight years up until his departure two seasons ago.

What’s more, Drogba scored the winning penalty as the Blues won the Champions League for the first time in their history in 2012, but now he will be looking to knock them out of the competition in the round of 16.

Gala coach Roberto Mancini has injury concerns over defenders Gokhan Zan and Hakan Balta, but he has the majority of his key players available for selection, including Wesley Sneijder, Fernando Muslera and Burak Yılmaz.

However, Mancini’s opposite number Jose Mourinho will have to make do without January additions Nemanja Matic and Mohamed Salah, both of whom are cup-tied.

Frank Lampard may also not start the first leg due to the fact that he played 90 minutes against Everton at the weekend. If that is proven to be the case, then David Luiz could operate in midfield alongside either Ramires or John Obi Mikel. Playmaker Oscar may also start the encounter as a substitute.

These two teams have met once before in Istanbul as Chelsea ran out 5-0 winners back in 1999. Among the goals that night were Tore Andre Flo, Gianfranco Zola and Dennis Wise.

Galatasaray vs Chelsea:Key Storylines

The biggest talking point since it was discovered that Chelsea would be facing the Turkish Super Lig champions in this round has been that of Didier Drogba’s encounter with his former club, and the reunion he is set to have with Jose Mourinho.

Per the official Chelsea website, Drogba made 341 appearances for the West Londoners over the course of an eight-year spell, scoring 157 goals in the process and averaging just under a goal every other game.

His very last kick in a Chelsea shirt won the Blues their first European Cup, guaranteeing he goes down in their history as arguably their greatest player.

Now, the Ivorian will line up on the other side of the pitch, in the hope that his Galatasaray team might be able to book themselves a place in the competition’s quarterfinals, albeit at the sacrifice of the Blues’ hopes.

To add a little extra spice to the occasion, Drogba has insisted that if Mourinho asked him, he’d consider a return to the Premier League outfit, too, per ESPN:

” I had a great time at Chelsea. I was there eight years and if Jose Mourinho said ‘I want you to come back’ I’d think about it. But there has been no approach from the club, so there is no need to speak about it. It is just rumours.

I don’t know. If it could happen, it would only be with one team. I could not play for anyone else in England.”

Chelsea’s last trip to Istanbul may have resulted in a 5-0 result for the visitors, but the context of this fixture has changed tremendously in the 14 years since.

Roberto Mancini’s side have scored an average of 2.18 goals per home game this league season and sit second in the table, four points behind leaders Fenerbahce. They face a similar title jostle to that of the one Chelsea are currently going through in England.

Chelsea come up against a side with tremendous attacking potency in the shapes of Drogba and Burak Yilmaz while lacking a reliable scoring presence of their own. Gala, meanwhile, will be jealous of the defensive security Mourinho has in the likes of John Terry, Gary Cahill and Branislav Ivanovic this term.

That being said, it is worth mentioning that Mancini’s is statistically the best defence in Turkey this season, but the impending Premier League assault will pose a different task altogether.

As a result, it’s the midfield that will likely decide the first leg, and it all comes down to whether Mourinho would be content with nicking a result, or whether he’s hoping to make a statement at the first time of asking.

Galatasaray vs Chelsea Champions League:Match Stats

Neither team has relied on one player to score their Champions League goals this season. Galatasaray’s top scorer Umut Bulut has three goals, and Chelsea’s Samuel Eto’o has two.

Chelsea were the last British team to beat Galatasaray in Istanbul, a 0-5 win in 1999. Since then, the Turkish side have won three, and drawn one against English sides.

Didier Drogba’s final kick for Chelsea secured them the Champions League title in May 2012. He will be facing them for the first time on Wednesday night.

Jose Mourinho masterminded Chelsea’s only round of 16 defeat between 2006/07 and 2011/12, as coach of Inter Milan in 2009/10.

Galatasaray vs Chelsea Champions League:Latest Team News

Team news: Galatasaray: Aurelien Chedjou is unlikely to feature, after missing the last four games with a groin injury, but Aydin Yilmaz and Gokhan Zan are available after recovering from ankle and hamstring injuries respectively.

Chelsea: Nemanja Matic and Mohamed Salah cup-tied, while Marco Van Ginkel is a long-term absentee. David Luiz and John Obi Mikel missed out at the weekend and along with Oscar face late fitness tests.

Key men: Galatasaray: Difficult to look past the Sneijder and Drogba. The duo will no doubt be extra motivated for this match.

Chelsea: Eden Hazard has not had the greatest last couple of games, and the Belgian playmaker will be keen to show Europe just why he is so raved about in England at the moment.

Galatasaray vs Chelsea Champions League Match:Possible starting lineups

Galatasaray: Muslera; Chedjou, Kaya, Nounkeu; Eboue, Riera, Melo, Altıntop, Sneijder; Drogba, Yilmaz

Chelsea: Cech; Azpilicueta, Cahill, Terry, Ivanovic; Luiz, Mikel; Ramires, Hazard, Willian; Eto’o

Stadium:Turk Telekom Arena, Istanbul

TV Broadcasting:Sky Sports 1 , D Smart Channel

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