Drogba hoping ‘good lesson’ will aid Gala

Didier Drogba and his Galatasaray team-mates have a tough task when they try to overturn a 3-0 deficit against Real Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final tonight.

Drogba, who won the competition last season with Chelsea, will take some cheer from his performance in Saturday’s domestic championship game against Mersin Idman Yurdu when he scored two second-half goals in a 3-1 win.

In Madrid last week, Galatasaray were taught “a good lesson” by the Spanish side, according to Drogba.

He said: “We’re not at their level but I think it’s a lack of experience more than anything else. We’re learning, we’re a young team. There are things that need improving. It’s a good lesson, and one we have to show we’ve learned well in the return leg,” he said.

One of Galatasaray’s biggest headaches is the absence of key striker Burak Yilmaz, who is suspended after picking up a yellow card in Madrid while central defender Dany Nounkeu is also banned.

Real romped to a 5-1 victory at home to mid-table Levante on Saturday as coach Jose Mourinho left several top performers, including Cristiano Ronaldo, out of his starting lineup.

Ronaldo came off the bench at half-time with Real leading 2-1 and netted his 29th goal of the La Liga campaign before setting up fellow substitute Mesut Ozil.

Centre back Sergio Ramos and midfielder Xabi Alonso both played the full 90 minutes as they are suspended for tonight’s game.

“It could be that we are in our best form of the season,” Ronaldo admitted. “We have a complete squad with all the players available and that is very positive news. This is a tough match and our passage to the next round is not yet assured. Three goals is a big lead but we have to go there and play and at least get one goal.

“We have to take things step by step, game by game, but I think we have a good chance of getting to the final.”

GALATASARAY (probable): F Muslera; E Eboue, S Kaya, A Riera, N Amrabat; W Sneijder, F Melo, S Inan, H Altintop; U Bulut, D Drogba.

REAL MADRID (probable): D Lopez; A Arbeloa, R Varane, Pepe, F Coentrao; S Khedira, L Modric; A Di Maria, M Ozil, C Ronaldo; K Benzema.