Didier Drogba rejoining Chelsea has to happen one day, says Jose Mourinho

 
Andy Hodgson18 March 2014

Didier Drogba will be a part of the Chelsea family again one day, manager Jose Mourinho has predicted.

Ahead of tonight's Champions League last-16 second leg showdown against Drogba's Galatasaray, Mourinho said that the striker was such an important part of Chelsea's history that it was inevitable that he would be a Stamford Bridge employee again at some point in the future.

Drogba's contract expires at the end of the season he has been linked him with a role as Chelsea player-coach.

"Undoubtedly, he's one of the most important players in the history of this club," Mourinho said. "All Chelsea supporters, we agree with that. We don't say the most important one because it's not fair on other people.

"Is he the same player at 36 than he was at 26? I think nobody is, but he's one of the best strikers in the world, that's for sure."

Chelsea prepare for Champions League second-leg tie against Galatasary

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"He's a Galatasaray player. We know he's a free agent. We know he finishes his contract at the end of the season, but we know it's not the right moment.

"I think it has to happen one day. When, I don't know. As a player, as a coach, as an ambassador, next year, in four, five years, in 10 years, I don't know.

"But when a person represents so much to a club and when a club represents so much to a person, and that's the case, I think he has to be back one day."

Defender Gary Cahill is to be tasked, along with captain John Terry, with keeping their former team-mate Drogba quiet.

"He's a fantastic player, so playing against him will be tough," Cahill said.

"Emotionally, it'll be strange for him, I'd have thought, but we're focused not on one individual player but the team and on trying to get a good result."

The tie is finely poised at 1-1 following the first leg in Istanbul and Mourinho is uncertain what will happen.

"Everything is there, balanced," he added. "Normally the same kind of match (as Istanbul) with the result that I believe goes till the end."

Chelsea held Galatasaray to a 1-1 draw in the first leg in Istanbul.

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