No Drogba as Chelsea head to Lisbon

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Didier Drogba was not part of the Chelsea squad which travelled to Portugal for Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Sporting Lisbon.

The Blues are also without Ramires, who has been nursing a hip abductor problem and is expected to be unavailable until after the approaching international break.

Diego Costa is in the squad and could be involved in the match despite doubts about his fitness.

Costa 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 recently suggested the Spain striker was unable to start more than one match per week.

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.

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