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| JOHN MIKEL OBI |
Chelsea star Mikel Obi admits Chelsea have missed Didier Drogba leading the line this season but he is confident they are now ready to win a major competition without him.
The Europa League Final against Benfica on Wednesday night represents Chelsea’s last chance to claim a trophy this season, yet they will not be able to rely on Drogba’s heroics to triumph in Europe this time. Drogba who now plays for Galatasaray of Turkey scored their equaliser against Bayern Munich and then the winning goal in the Champions League final last year.
The Nigerian told Standard Sport, “There is no Didier this year. He is the man and someone who came up with the goods for us in the big games. When we played the FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City I walked on to the pitch at Wembley, I was looking for Didier and I couldn’t find him. He was the one that always scored the goals.
“We had a very good team last year. That’s why we won the Champions League. There was no luck, we played for each other. But I think now we have a great, young team and we are moving in the right direction. It will be great for the players to win another medal. However, Benfica have proved they’re a very good side. It’s going to be a very tough game.”
Mikel has been getting constant treatment on a hip injury and it was not clear if he would play against Benfica. The Nigeria midfielder has missed the last four matches with the problem, although did return to training last week.
But despite their injury concerns Mikel, John Terry and Eden Hazard were all on the flight to Amsterdam on Tuesday. The Hazard injury has added up pressure on Victor Moses. The Belgian’s pace and dribbling skills has been of great value to the Stamford Bridge team. In his absence Moses is now expected to be exceptionally creative and brilliant for Chelsea to overcome Benfica even as the Nigerian targets his first Euro glory.
Moses has surely been in good form for the Europa League run scoring one of the goals in the semi finals match against FC Basel of Switzerland.
A Europa success will make it second cup victory for the Nigerian duo after winning the African cup in February.
Source: Punch
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