DROGBA ON EURO MISSION Didier Drogba is out to repair his African heartbreak by firing Chelsea to the Champions League final.
Ivory Coast ace Drogba is back for the Blues as they prepare to renew their rivalry with Barcelona.
The English and Spanish champions clash at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday in the first leg of the first knockout round of the Champions League.
Drogba was sent off in the classic tie at the same stage of last year's competition and he suffered more agony in this month's African Nations Cup final.
The £24million striker missed the crucial penalty for the Ivory Coast in the final shoot-out against Egypt and was then beaten to the African player of the year award by Barca and Cameroon star Samuel Eto'o by two votes.
But Drogba insists his brush with glory in Cairo has made him hungrier for more big-match action.
Drogba said: "The atmosphere was unbelievable in the final. There were 100,000 people in the stadium and it was fantastic.
"I would like to play in a lot of games like this. It was a good experience and people respected our team."
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho expects Drogba, 27, to make up for his disappointment.
Mourinho said: "He still has a lot of things to play for like the Champions League, the Premiership, the FA Cup and the World Cup.
"A player has to get over disappointments and he's a tough character. He will play on Sunday and I hope he will be happy again."
The Chelsea boss was also impressed with Drogba's qualities as Ivory Coast skipper.
Mourinho added: "He is a leader. He can't be captain at Chelsea because he only arrived two years ago and we have English players and players with a lot of seasons at Chelsea but he is a player with qualities to lead."
Drogba has chance to avenge Eto'o when the pair meet again on Wednesday.
The Blues striker missed most of last season's epic clash because he was sent off 56 minutes into the first leg in the Nou Camp, which the Catalans won 2-1.
He was then suspended as Chelsea hit back to win the return leg 4-2.
The tie was crammed with controversy. Drogba's red card sparked an outburst from Mourinho, who accused referee Anders Frisk of being influenced by a half-time chat with Barcelona boss Frank Rijkaard.
Frisk and Rijkaard denied the conversation took place but the Swedish ref received death threats after the match and immediately quit football.
The war of words raged between the two legs and the second game was also marred by a touchline bust-up after the final whistle, when Eto'o claimed a Chelsea steward had racially abused him.
UEFA eventually hit ex-Barca coach Mourinho with a touchline ban for his behaviour during the tie.
But Chelsea went through to the quarter-finals and Barcelona have waited 12 months for revenge.
The sniping from the Nou Camp started last week with suggestions that Chelsea had deliberately damaged their pitch to hinder Barca's flowing football.
Mourinho hit back, branding the comments "stupid" but both camps have tried not to be distracted by the European showdown.
Barca were at home to Real Betis today and Chelsea tackle Colchester in the FA Cup tomorrow.
Rijkaard's team have lost two games on the trot and seen their 12-point lead at the top of La Liga cut to six but the Dutch boss welcomed some of his biggest stars back into the squad for the Betis game.
Ronaldinho came back from suspension and Eto'o returned after the African Nations Cup.
Skipper Carlos Puyol is fit after an injury scare in training last week and Argentinian teen ace Lionel Messi has declared himself fit after injury.
Barcelona midfielder Mark van Bommel fears the threat of fellow-Dutchman Arjen Robben.
Van Bommel said: "I played with him for two years at PSV and he's a very special player. He can be dangerous with or without the ball.
"It won't be easy to defend against him although Chelsea have a squad full of stars so we can't just focus on one man."
Ronaldinho identifies Frank Lampard as the big danger. The Brazilian said: "He can drive a team. We played against him last season and he's been one of the most consistent players. I know he is high quality."
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ლონდონის ჩელსის ფანკლუბი, Back to Back Champions 2004-05/2005-06
