Mata Picks Drogba As His Greatest Champions League Player
Juan Mata has paid tribute to Didier Drogba as the best player he played alongside in the UEFA Champions League.
Mata and Drogba were part of the Chelsea side that won Europe's premier club competition in 2012.
It was Mata's corner which Drogba converted to equalise in a 1-1 draw with Bayern Munich before the Ivorian struck the winning penalty at the Allianz Arena.
For so long a time, Drogba was Chelsea's man for the big occasion, with the former Olympique Marseille striker also winning four Premier League titles across two spells at Stamford Bridge.
Mata, who now plays in Turkey with Galatasaray, picked Drogba among a list of illustrious names during a discussion about the Champions League.
"If I think about the Champions League, and the times we played together at Chelsea, and when we won the competition, the first big man that comes to mind is Didier Drogba," Mata said in an interview with the Go Turkiye YouTube Channel.
"He scored the goal in the final, he scored the last penalty, he was a leader on and off the pitch, and he is definitely one of the best strikers of the last 20 or 30 years, so he has to be there.
"He was very helpful to me during my time in London, and he comes to my mind when I think of the Champions League.
"I also have to mention John Terry, [Frank] Lampard, Wayne Rooney, [Robin] van Persie, and many other greats that I had the chance to play with.
"But when I think of Champions League and that final in Munich, it has to be Didier."
