Drogba on a Spanish mission

Cote d’Ivoire striker Didier Drogba starts his Spanish adventure when he plays with his club Chelsea against Barcelona in the first knockout round of the Uefa Champions League on Wednesday.

There will be no love lost for the Ivorian striker who got sent off in a classic tie at the same stage of the competion last year.

Didier Drogba has had an enduring few weeks missing the crucial penalty for Cote d’Ivoire in the African Nations Cup Final shoot-out against host Egypt and then pipped to the African Player of the Year award by Barcelona and Cameroon star Samuel Eto’o by two votes.

However, Drogba’s brush with glory has made the striker hungrier for success and he wouldn’t get a better opportunity than facing Barcelona.

In between the games against Barcelona, Didier will join up with his Cote d’Ivoire team mates on the 1st of March to play Spain in a World Cup warm up friendly in Valladolid.