England’s European hopes rest with Chelsea, United

MANCHESTER, England — With Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund all but through to the Champions League quarter-finals, the focus this week is on whether Chelsea and Manchester United can preserve English representation in the competition in what is proving a miserable season in Europe for Premier League clubs.

Chelsea are tied at 1-1 with Galatasaray ahead of their last-16 second leg at Stamford Bridge and United are in deeper trouble, behind 2-0 to Olympiakos after a wretched performance in the first leg in Greece.

Arsenal and Manchester City have already been eliminated from the Champions League and Tottenham, the sole remaining English representative in the Europa League, are also close to the exit after losing 3-1 at home to Benfica in their last-16 first leg.

Chelsea – Galatasaray 

Didier Drogba is set to be afforded a hero’s welcome when he returns to Stamford Bridge with Galatasaray for the first time since leaving Chelsea in 2012, two days after winning them the Champions League in his final match for the club.

“I am quite apprehensive about it,” Drogba told UEFA.com.

Whether Chelsea fans will be singing Drogba’s name at the end of the second leg remains to be seen.

The Ivory Coast striker, who scored 157 goals in eight years at Chelsea, is the biggest threat to his former team’s chances of progression and Jose Mourinho’s hopes of becoming the first manager to win the Champions League with three different clubs.

Chelsea will be disappointed not to have brought a lead back to London after dominating the first half in Istanbul but failing to add to Fernando Torres’ early goal. On the other hand, the Premier League leaders have lost just twice at Stamford Bridge in the Champions League since 2003 and are big favourites to advance.

Manchester United – Olympiakos 

The teams come into the match in very different states of mind.

While Olympiakos celebrated sealing the Greek title on Saturday with five games remaining in the season, United slumped to their most humiliating defeat of an already disappointing season on Sunday, a 3-0 loss to big rival Liverpool that virtually ended their chances of qualifying for next season’s Champions League.

United’s best chance now of being back in Europe’s top competition is winning it this season, but that is unlikely on current form, and especially given the deficit they have from the first leg.

“We have a chance,” United midfielder Marouane Fellaini said. “We need the fans to stay behind the team and the club and we will fight to win in the game against Olympiakos.”

United were eliminated in the round of 16 last season, against Real Madrid.