Juan Mata admits Chelsea miss Didier Drogba

Chelsea playmaker Juan Mata has admitted that the Blues have struggled to adapt to life without Didier Drogba this season.

Drogba ended an eight-year association with Chelsea for a move to China after winning the Champions League with his last kick for the club.

Mata has hailed Drogba as a "warrior" and believes that the shift in focus to accommodate Fernando Torres has been tough to implement.

He told French football magazine So Foot: "Drogba's departure was like an electric shock for us. He was a warrior.

"We've had to learn to cope without him because for many long years he was Chelsea's lightning conductor. With Drogba we were conditioned to play in a certain way. You gave him the ball and you knew that he would at least force the opponent into a foul.

"All the great players like getting the ball, Didier even more so. With Fernando it's different. His runs aren't the same. He's not a funnel for our play like Drogba could be."

The Blues have endured a turbulent past month, replacing manager Roberto Di Matteo with Rafael Benitez before crashing out of the Champions League in the group stages.