Blues get Drogba boost

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba is expected to face only a short spell on the sidelines following the injury he sustained against CFR Cluj.

The Ivory Coast international left the stadium of Chelsea's Champions League opponents with his right leg in a brace after Wednesday night's goalless draw.

He underwent a scan on Thursday and it is understood the results show that Drogba sustained no significant ligament damage.

If he had sustained a major ligament injury Chelsea would have been forced to cope without their first-choice frontman for several months.

However the early signs point to it being a matter of weeks rather than months before Drogba becomes available again to manager Luiz Felipe Scolari.

Drogba sustained forceful rotations to his right knee and ankle when his leg appeared to buckle as he went to make contact with a cross against the Romanians.

Chelsea are set to keep him under observation for the next two to three days before revealing precisely how long Drogba faces out of action, however there will be no need for surgery.

Chelsea could still be down to the bare bones for Sunday's Barclays Premier League clash with Aston Villa.

Drogba is a certain absentee and Scolari was already sure to be without Deco, Joe Cole, Michael Essien and Ricardo Carvalho.

Ashley Cole sat out Wednesday's game with a sore back while John Terry (back) and Alex (buttock) both finished it in pain.