• Premier League

AVB rules Drogba out of United clash

ESPN staff
September 13, 2011
Didier Drogba is taking longer than expected to recover from being knocked unconscious © Getty Images
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Chelsea are expected to be without striker Didier Drogba for this weekend's massive Premier League clash with Manchester United.

The forward was knocked unconscious during Chelsea's win over Norwich on August 27 and his recovery has taken longer than expected. As well as having to overcome the blow to the head, the Ivorian has been having trouble with his teeth and Blues manager Andre Villas-Boas feels Drogba will not be fit for the trip to Old Trafford.

"Didier did some damage to his teeth when he fell to the ground," Villas-Boas is quoted as saying in the Daily Star. "So we have given him two games off.

"Everything is okay with the scan. He will be fit again somewhere between the United, Fulham and Swansea game."

Chelsea open up their Champions League campaign at home to Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday and Villas-Boas has claimed it is tougher to snare Europe's premier club competition than the World Cup.

"I think everybody knows the importance of this competition," Villas-Boas said. "It's the most difficult competition to anything. If you compare it to international competitions, it's a lot of good teams competing for one trophy."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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