Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho is ready to face his old Chelsea striker Didier Drogba when they meet Galatasaray in the Champions League quarterfinals.

Mourinho is upset by claims in the press that he's been critical of the Ivorian.

"Drogba is more than Drogba. You have given me the chance to say that the things you see in the press don't bother me because Drogba knows who I am and what I feel in my heart for him, but people might think it could be true," declared Mourinho.

"Picture this; I go to Turkey, I am working, I watch the match, I head off before the end and then there are statements from me saying bad things about Drogba. I'm not going to say that he is my favourite because I have had a lot of truly special players, but if I had to choose one I might go for Didier.

"As a player he is out of this world. I would like to have him by my side, so just imagine. It is unthinkable that I would say bad things about Drogba, but at the moment, to appear in the press or be known, anything goes. There is no problem because he knows that the last thing I would do is to say anything negative about my relationship with him."