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Chelsea got the knockout round draw that Jose Mourinho wanted, a pair of games with Didier Drogba and his Galatasaray teammates. That's sure to be emotional for Chelsea fans everywhere, and it will likely be a terrifying encounter for John Terry and Gary Cahill.
Chelsea have met the Turkish club twice in the past, both meetings happened during the group stage of the 1999-00 Champions League. The Blues won the home match over Gala by a 1-0 score before routing their opponents in Istanbul 5-0. The goalscorers in that match included Tore Andre Flo (with a pair), Gianfranco Zola, Dennis Wise, and Gabriele Ambrosetti.
Gala have some history in the competition, reaching the semifinals once while making it as far as the quarters five times. Last season saw them make it to the quarterfinal round, where they were eliminated by Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid.
This season saw them drawn into one of the tougher groups put together, joining Real Madrid, Juventus, and FC Copenhagen. While they only managed seven points in the group stage, a 1-0 home victory over Juventus on the final matchday (and some change) saw them reach the knockout draw at the Italian side's expense.
Mourinho has a habit of being fairly conservative when sent on the road for the first leg of a tie, and the injury situation at the moment will probably see that trend continue. Don't be surprised to see Ramires on the wing if Mourinho doesn't opt for a three-man midfield.
Opponent: Galatasaray
Date/Time: Wednesday, February 26, 2014, 19:45 GMT; 2:45pm EST; 1:15am IST (next day)
Venue: Turk Telekom Arena, Istanbul, Turkey
Weather: Pretty cold with no chance of rain
Chelsea Squad News: Marco van Ginkel is out, while Nemanja Matic and Mohamed Salah are both cup-tied and unavailable. Ramires is dealing with an injury but highly likely to play, while Oscar, David Luiz, and John Obi Mikel are all facing fitness tests.
Galatasaray Squad News: Aydin Yilmaz and Eray Iscan are both out with injury, everyone else will be available for Roberto Mancini to choose.
Television/Streaming: FS1, FoxSoccer2Go (USA), Sky Sports 1 HD (UK), Ten Action, Ten HD (India), this link (anywhere else)
