Emotional Mourinho so pleased to have Drogba back

An emotional Jose Mourinho admits he is delighted to have the chance to work with Didier Drogba once again.

The Portuguese coach first signed the striker during his first spell in charge of the Stamford Bridge club, paying £24million to lure him from Marseille in the summer of 2004. Drogba spent eight years with the Blues, playing a key role in three Premier League title wins, four FA Cups, three League Cups and, of course, the UEFA Champions League in 2012.

Having left the club after his penalty kick in Munich secured their status as European champions, the Ivorian had a spell in China with Shanghai Shenhua, and he spent last season in Turkey with Galatasaray. But when Mourinho came calling to offer the 36-year-old a sensational return to Chelsea this summer, the forward didn’t need asking twice.

Drogba made his second debut as a late substitute in their 3-1 win at Burnley on Monday evening, and he was reintroduced to the Stamford Bridge faithful on Saturday afternoon when he again left the bench for a short cameo against Leicester City. And speaking after the 2-0 win against the Foxes, Mourinho paid tribute to his number 11.

“To work with him again is emotional – whether playing or scoring, it doesn’t matter,” he told Sky Sports. “Just having him back and having the pleasure and the honour to work with him is enough. The reality is he helps the team a lot. Today if the score is not 1-0, 2-0, I would have put him together with Diego Costa. And I’m sure Didier will get his form, step by step.”

It was Costa who set the Blues on their way to a second successive Premier League win when he scored his second goal of the campaign just past the hour mark. And the points were wrapped up on 77 minutes, when Eden Hazard opened his account for the season. This win gives Mourinho’s side maximum points from their opening two fixtures, yet they are likely to face their first big test when they travel to Goodison Park to face Everton next week.

Chelsea fans, can Drogba have a big say in your title bid this season? And with two goals in as many games, just how good does Diego Costa look? Let us know your thoughts by joining the discussion below!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *