5 things to know for Galatasaray vs. Chelsea

The Associated Press

Going into their Champions League last-16 tie, Galatasaray and Chelsea enjoyed 1-0 wins on Saturday.

Chelsea beat Everton thanks to a very late winner from captain John Terry to retain its position as the English Premier League leader, while a first-half penalty from midfielder Selcuk Inan helped Galatasaray defeat fierce rival Besiktas and move to second in the Turkish Super League.

Here are five things to know ahead of their match on Wednesday:

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FAMILIAR FACES: It will be a reunion of sorts in Istanbul. Galatasaray striker Didier Drogba faces his former club Chelsea, while Wesley Sneijder will be playing against a team managed by his former Inter Milan boss, Jose Mourinho. "Mourinho knows us well and this may be an advantage for them," Sneijder says. "But we know Mourinho well and this may be a greater advantage for us." Drogba is beloved by Chelsea fans. After eight trophy-laden seasons at the club, he finished by scoring the winning penalty in a shootout that gave Chelsea its first Champions League title in 2012.

TERRY AND CAHILL KEY IN DEFENSE: The partnership between John Terry and Gary Cahill in central defense has been so impressive this season, there have been calls for England manager Roy Hodgson to ask Terry to come out of international retirement for the World Cup in Brazil. Hodgson has said Terry must change his mind first. Cahill says Chelsea's defensive foundation, along with its win on the weekend, means it will start in Istanbul with added belief. "Beating Everton was a huge result and it gives us confidence going in to Wednesday," Cahill says. "We did leave it late and we wondered if it was going to come but it shows character." Chelsea has kept 10 clean sheets in its last 14 games, and conceded only three times in the group stage of the competition.

MIRACLE FOR MANCINI: Roberto Mancini says for Galatasaray to come out of the group stage was a miracle which the club will be trying to replicate against Chelsea. "We managed to come out of a group that included Real Madrid and Juventus and this was a miracle," Mancini says. "We need to produce another miracle. Never say 'never' in football. I know Chelsea well. It will be a tough game for us because they are used to playing important games. We shall be trying our best for a good result."

BATTLE OF THE AFRICAN STRIKERS: Drogba, from Ivory Coast, and Chelsea's Samuel Eto'o, of Cameroon, are the two top scoring African strikers in the history of the Champions League. Drogba has 42 goals, 34 of them when he was at Chelsea, and Eto'o 29. Eto'o has eight goals for Chelsea this season, including a hat trick against Manchester United.

GALATASARAY HOME-STRONG: Galatasaray is a difficult opponent for anyone travelling to Turkey. It has lost once in its last seven Champions League matches at home, a 6-1 thrashing by Real Madrid. It has won the other four and drawn two. Galatasaray and Chelsea have met only twice before, with Chelsea winning both times. The encounters were in the group stage in 1999-2000, with Chelsea's 5-0 away win that season remaining the only occasion an English side has won away to Galatasaray.