Chelsea Football Club

• Nickname:Blues
• Founded:1905
• Manager:Rafael Benitez

• Ground:Stamford Bridge
• Capacity:42440

Drogba verdict boosts Blues

02 Oct 2008 - 20:48:28

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Chelsea have confirmed that striker Didier Drogba will be sidelined for weeks rather than months by the knee injury sustained in the goalless draw at CFR Cluj.

The 30-year-old Ivory Coast striker left the ground in Romania on crutches following a trip to a local hospital, having been stretchered off in the 58th minute of the match.

However, subsequent scans have shown no major ligament damage and as a consequence Drogba will not require surgery.

Blues midfielder Frank Lampard had earlier warned that his side would just have to cope without their star striker, with Drogba having already missed the opening weeks of the new season with a separate knee problem.

He said: "If Didier is out for a while, we will have to pitch in with goals from all around the team, which we can do, though the situation is not ideal.

"If you're a bit thin on the ground, maybe it's not so easy to rotate. Nicolas Anelka is a top-class striker and we also have Salomon Kalou and young Franco di Santo.

"The experience is not really there, but I believe the quality is.

"Hearing about Didier was the bad news of the day, because he is so important to us. He has been out before with a knee injury.

"I hope it's not as bad as it looked and that he can be back as soon as possible."