Chelsea striker Didier Drogba could force Bayern Munich to create a special game plan in the 2011/12 UEFA Champions League final.
Didier Drogba played a huge part getting Chelsea to the final this season. The veteran striker produced a man-of-the-match performance against Napoli in the Round of 16 to help his team turn around a 3-1 first-leg deficit.
In the semi-finals against Barcelona, Drogba gave a 1-0 advantage to the Blues with a goal at Stamford Bridge. At the Camp Nou, he showed his defensive skills as his team secured a vital 2-2 draw.
Earlier this month, Didier Drogba fired Chelsea to FA Cup glory at Wembley at the expense of Liverpool. Bayern Munich coach Jupp Heynckes is wary of the harm Drogba could cause to the Germans in the 2011/12 UEFA Champions League final.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference, the experienced manager admitted:
“Drogba, for many years, has been one of the top strikers in the Premier League and is definitely dangerous. He can score at any moment.
Heynckes did single out the Chelsea striker for praise but he also added:
“Sometimes, he overdoes it a bit. Sometimes he's an outstanding actor on the pitch.”
Didier Drogba is often accused of going down too easily so Bayern Munich’s defence will need to be tight. Moreover, the Chelsea forward has proven to be good in set pieces and from long range.
However, the Cote d’Ivoire captain has flopped a number of times in the past. When Chelsea played Manchester United in the 2007/08 UEFA Champions League final, Drogba endured a terrible night. A wasteful performance in front of goal and a petulant behaviour towards the referee and the opposition ended his game on a poor note.
The same thing happened in May 2009 when Barcelona controversially beat Chelsea in the semi-finals of the Champions League; Drogba made the headlines for all the bad reasons.
Earlier this year, the striker led his national team all the way to the final of the Africa Cup of Nations. However, a missed penalty rounded up his scrappy performance and eventually cost the entire team. Cote d’Ivoire had to settle for the second spot against eventual winners, Zambia.
For the third time in 2012, Didier Drogba will play in the final of a major tournament. In the absence of suspended key players like John Terry, Ramires and Raul Mereiles, the former African footballer of the year will be under pressure to shine. Chelsea have never lifted a Champions League title but Drogba could be the one to write a new page in the European history of the Blues.
Should he put a disappointing show against Bayern Munich, the media will certainly make a big story out of it. Meanwhile, one man who will always pay respect to Didier Drogba is Chelsea coach Roberto Di Matteo who told the press on Friday:
“Didier has brought us lots of success, scored many goals so whatever happens [May 19] he will always be a legend here.”
In the semi-finals against Barcelona, Drogba gave a 1-0 advantage to the Blues with a goal at Stamford Bridge. At the Camp Nou, he showed his defensive skills as his team secured a vital 2-2 draw.
Earlier this month, Didier Drogba fired Chelsea to FA Cup glory at Wembley at the expense of Liverpool. Bayern Munich coach Jupp Heynckes is wary of the harm Drogba could cause to the Germans in the 2011/12 UEFA Champions League final.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference, the experienced manager admitted:
“Drogba, for many years, has been one of the top strikers in the Premier League and is definitely dangerous. He can score at any moment.
Heynckes did single out the Chelsea striker for praise but he also added:
“Sometimes, he overdoes it a bit. Sometimes he's an outstanding actor on the pitch.”
Didier Drogba is often accused of going down too easily so Bayern Munich’s defence will need to be tight. Moreover, the Chelsea forward has proven to be good in set pieces and from long range.
However, the Cote d’Ivoire captain has flopped a number of times in the past. When Chelsea played Manchester United in the 2007/08 UEFA Champions League final, Drogba endured a terrible night. A wasteful performance in front of goal and a petulant behaviour towards the referee and the opposition ended his game on a poor note.
The same thing happened in May 2009 when Barcelona controversially beat Chelsea in the semi-finals of the Champions League; Drogba made the headlines for all the bad reasons.
Earlier this year, the striker led his national team all the way to the final of the Africa Cup of Nations. However, a missed penalty rounded up his scrappy performance and eventually cost the entire team. Cote d’Ivoire had to settle for the second spot against eventual winners, Zambia.
For the third time in 2012, Didier Drogba will play in the final of a major tournament. In the absence of suspended key players like John Terry, Ramires and Raul Mereiles, the former African footballer of the year will be under pressure to shine. Chelsea have never lifted a Champions League title but Drogba could be the one to write a new page in the European history of the Blues.
Should he put a disappointing show against Bayern Munich, the media will certainly make a big story out of it. Meanwhile, one man who will always pay respect to Didier Drogba is Chelsea coach Roberto Di Matteo who told the press on Friday:
“Didier has brought us lots of success, scored many goals so whatever happens [May 19] he will always be a legend here.”
