Drogba to leave the Bridge empty handed as Chelsea win to nil

The English bid to win the Champions League rests on Chelsea’s shoulders after both Manchester City and Arsenal crashed out last week, while Manchester United look incapable of overturning Olympiacos’ position in their tie.

As the only side from these shores not to hand their opposition a first-leg lead, having drawn with Galatasaray 1-1 in Turkey, Chelsea are heavily fancied at 2/11 to qualify for the quarter finals of the competition.

Over 90 minutes they sit as the 2/5 favourites to win the match, with the draw a 7/2 chance and a visiting Gala win available at a lengthy 7/1.

The sub-plot of the game revolves around Didier Drogba’s first return to Stamford Bridge as a player and while he’s admitted giving what he’ll do if he scores some thought, it’s unlikely the result-churning machine Chelsea deploy at home will allow him to make it a reality.

As Turkish giants and Champions League regulars, Galatasaray’s price is somewhat surprising. That is until you take a look at their away form, which has returned just three wins from 16 trips in all competitions this season.

Add the fact that the Blues have failed to win just three of their 19 matches at the Bridge this term and it’s clear the prices on Chelsea’s qualification and a home win are justified.

Neither will make you rich though, so it’s the 23/20 on a Chelsea win to nil that should be plumped for, with west London club’s recent unbreakable defence forming the crux of the argument to do so.

All of the last five visitors to Jose Mourinho’s house have been treated with disdain, leaving without so much as a goal to their name. In fact, only three of the last 10 guests have breached the defence meaning Drogba will need more than Tinker Bell’s pixie dust to see a fairytale return come true.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.

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