Drogba ruled out for three weeks

CHELSEA expect Didier Drogba to be out for three weeks after the Ivory Coast striker underwent knee surgery at the weekend.

“It looks like it will be three weeks, something like that,” manager Avram Grant confirmed last night. “The operation went well, we just need to wait and see.”

Drogba is keen to play at the African Nations Cup in Ghana which runs from January 20 to February 10.

Meanwhile, Grant is ready to put a 15-match unbeaten run at risk by fielding a below-strength team for tonight’s final Champions League Group B game against Valencia at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea are already assured of qualifying for the knockout stages in top place as group winners.

They face Barclays Premier League leaders Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday and Grant admitted: “There is no doubt what is the most important match.

Grant may bring back keeper Petr Cech who has recovered from a thigh injury which kept him out for five weeks and who may need a warm-up before Arsenal.

Andriy Shevchenko will continue to deputise for Drogba and Michael Essien, still under domestic suspension and out of the Arsenal game, will get a run-out.

Valencia have slipped to seventh in La Liga, are rock-bottom of the Champions League group and need a better result than Schalke against Norway’s Rosenborg to earn third place and snatch a parachute jump into the UEFA Cup.

But they have been goalless in their last three games and face Barcelona next week.