Costa set to start but Drogba is sidelined

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Diego Costa will start for Chelsea in Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Sporting Lisbon but Didier Drogba faces a fortnight on the sidelines with an ankle problem. 

Drogba was not part of the Chelsea squad which travelled to Portugal, where the Blues will also be without Ramires, who has been nursing a hip abductor problem and is expected to be unavailable until after the approaching international break.

Costa, meanwhile, has been given the green light to play despite recent doubts about his fitness.

He scored in Saturday’s 3-0 victory against his Aston Villa – his eighth goal in six league appearances since moving to Stamford Bridge – but boss Jose Mourinho previously suggested the Spain striker was unable to start more than one match per week.

Blues hero Drogba has enjoyed previous matches against Arsenal
Blues hero Drogba has enjoyed previous matches against Arsenal

Nathan Ake and goalkeeper Mitchell Beeney have also travelled but Lewis Baker is not part of the squad.

Chelsea return to Premier League action on Sunday at Arsenal – a side Drogba terrorised during his first spell in west London.

The 36-year-old scored 13 goals in 14 appearances against the Gunners, including two in Chelsea’s 2007 League Cup triumph, but is set to miss out this time around.

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