Chelsea v Galatasaray: Champions League match preview

A look ahead at Tuesday night’s last-16 second leg at Stamford Bridge

Didier Drogba returns to Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night (Getty Images)

Similar faces will be returning to English soil as both Chelsea and Galatasary look to advance into the last eight of the inaugural competition. Former Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini, who guided them to a Premier League title win in 2012, will be back in England for the first time since being replaced by Manuel Pellegrini at the start of this season.

While a Chelsea legend will be back in west London, as Didier Drogba will be looking to knock his former employers out of the Champions League. Drogba spent eight years at Chelsea after Jose Mourinho signed him from French outfit, Marseille. After a difficult start to his career in England’s top flight, Drogba went onto to win three Premier League titles and the Champions League.

With the tie currently 1-1 on aggregate, both teams will fancy their chances of advancing into the next stage. Chelsea currently sit top of the England’s top flight, but after last week’s defeat at Aston Villa, the Blues will struggle to hold onto top spot with the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City all having games in hand. Nevertheless, this was only Chelsea’s first league defeat since the 7th December (3-2 to Stoke City). Meanwhile, Galatasaray are five points behind rivals Fenerbahce in the Turkish Super League, and are unbeaten in their last 12 games in the league.

FOLLOW OUR LIVE BLOG OF THE MATCH HERE

KICK-OFF: Tuesday, 7:45pm

PAST THREE MEETINGS

Galatasaray 1 (Chedjou) Chelsea 1 (Torres), Champions League, February 2014.

Galatasaray 0 Chelsea 5 (Flo 2, Zola, Wise, Ambrosetti), Champions League, October 1999

Chelsea 1 Galatasaray 0 (Petrescu), September 1999

STATS

Chelsea are unbeaten against Galatasaray (W2 D1), scoring seven goals and conceding only one.

Chelsea are unbeaten in their last seven Champions League knock-out games (W4, D3).

Chelsea have only conceded four goals in the Champions League this season, only Atletico Madrid have shipped fewer.

Didier Drogba has scored more goals than any other player at Stamford Bridge in the Champions League (17).

Galatasaray have conceded 15 goals in the Champions League this season, the highest tally among the 16 teams who have reached the knockout stages.

Galatasaray have never won in England in eight trips in all competitions (D3 L5).

ODDS

Chelsea win: 1.40

Galatasary win: 9.0

Draw: 5.00

TV: ITV 1, 7.30pm