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Ramires back to boost Chelsea, Drogba waits

Ramires was stretchered off against QPR © PA Photos

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Didier Drogba will not feature against Birmingham in the FA Cup at the weekend, but Ramires is back in contention.

Drogba has only recently returned from the African Nations Cup, where Ivory Coast were beaten in the final, and has been handed a short break.

Chelsea face Birmingham in the FA Cup on Saturday before a trip to Napoli on Tuesday and Villas-Boas is aware of the need to keep his squad fresh.

John Terry is nursing a knee injury and will not be able to play in both games, while Ashley Cole has been ruled out of the game with Birmingham and is rated 50-50 to face Napoli.

But in a boost for the Blues boss, Ramires has made a rapid return from the knee injury he picked up against Queens Park Rangers.

"John Terry completed his first full training session today for a week," Villas-Boas said said. "He still feels the pain on his knee. With such a short distance between the two games we must be careful. If he plays against Birmingham then he may not be able to make the Napoli game so we haven't made a decision yet.

"Ashley Cole's injury is coming along and he has a chance of making the Napoli game, probably a 50-50 chance, but Ramires is back and ready to play."

With Drogba on the cusp of a return, the Birmingham game could well be a final opportunity for Fernando Torres to end his goal drought.

Villas-Boas said: "Didier won't be in contention to it will be between Torres and (Romelu) Lukaku. It has not been happening for him (Torres) but we will continue to back him.

"Drogba gives us another solution up front, we've used Torres in all the games since he went away, but he will add competition.

"I spoke to him after they lost in the final and, of course it was a big disappointment, they had a good chance to win it but penalties is always a lottery. He is a strong character and he can have a big impact for us. In his position he is as strong as anybody."

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