Chelsea Football Club News

• Nickname:Blues
• Founded:1905
• Manager:Roberto Di Matteo

• Ground:Stamford Bridge
• Capacity:42,440

Drogba hints at absence

14 Sep 2007 - 06:55:46

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Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has hinted he is unlikely to play against Blackburn Rovers on Saturday as he remains troubled by a knee injury.

Drogba, 29, picked up the problem towards the end of the Blues' 2-0 Premier League defeat at Aston Villa two weeks ago and was immediately withdrawn from international duty with the Ivory Coast.

But speaking after turning up late for a charity engagement, Drogba admitted: "I'm not really fit.

"I was late because I had to stay to have some treatment and we had a meeting."

Drogba has scored just once in five appearances this season, but his absence will leave manager Jose Mourinho with a number of selection headaches.

Midfielder Frank Lampard (thigh) and defender Ricardo Carvalho (ankle) are unlikely to feature against Blackburn, while left-back Wayne Bridge remains a long-term absentee with a hip problem.

Meanwhile, Mourinho has challenged his players to adopt the right mentality in a bid to retain their Premier League title from Manchester United.

"I cannot see the difference between defending a title and trying to win a title back," he told the club's official website.

"When you win the title, in the next season you want to win every game to be champions again and retain the title.

"When we lose the title we want to win every game to bring the title back to Chelsea, I don't see the difference.

"For us the aim of every competition and every game is to win but of course we cannot win every game, of course we will draw, of course we will lose, but the approach to every game is no different."