Drogba to miss start of season

AFP - 4 August 2008 13:03

Chelsea´s Ivorian forward Didier Drogba walks off the pitch after being given a red card by Slovakian referee Lubos Michel (not in picture) during the final of the Champions League against Manchester United at the Luzhniki stadium in Moscow, May 2008. Drogba will miss the start of Chelsea´s season, manager Luiz Felipe Scolari has said.

LONDON (AFP) - Didier Drogba will miss the start of Chelsea's season, manager Luiz Felipe Scolari said Monday.

Scolari said the 30-year-old, who has spent the summer recuperating from a knee injury, is unlikely to feature until the very end of August.

He will miss the Blues' opening Premier League games against Portsmouth, on August 17, and Wigan a week later.

"Didier will not play in our first game against Portsmouth and will probably miss the second against Wigan. If there are no more problems he should be ready for the game after that," said Scolari.

Scolari has pencilled in the London derby against Tottenham on August 31 for a possible return but admits he will not rush the Ivory Coast star.

"But when you have a knee injury, you just never know," said the Brazilian.

"I have been getting a progress report from the doctor every day.

"He's getting better and is working with a fitness coach back at the training ground. I hope he will be ready to start training next week. But he will not play until he is in good condition."

The new Chelsea boss will have to rely on Nicolas Anelka as his only frontman for the first two games as Salomon Kalou is away at the Olympics.