Drogba making return to Real stadium roots

MADRID - The wheel will have come full circle for Galatasaray forward Didier Drogba when he takes to the pitch for Wednesday’s Champions League quarter-final first leg match at Real Madrid.

The Ivory Coast international, who turned 35 this month, made his debut in Europe’s elite club competition at Real’s Bernabeu stadium in September 2003 playing for Ligue 1 side Olympique Marseille.

Although he scored to put Marseille ahead in the 26th minute, goals from Roberto Carlos and Luis Figo and a double from Brazilian Ronaldo fired Real’s “Galacticos” to an easy 4-2 group stage victory.

“It will be very special for me, I will never forget that day,” Drogba was quoted as saying in Galatasaray’s club magazine this week.

“It was very important for my career,” Drogba?.

Drogba was Chelsea’s key performer on their run to a first Champions League triumph last season before quitting the London club for a stint in China and then moving to Turkey.