Cech out of Olympiakos game

Chelsea boss Avram Grant was dealt a blow before the second leg of the Champions League clash against Olympiakos as Petr Cech was forced to withdraw through injury.

Carlo Cudicini replaced Cech in goal for the last-32 tie, with reports suggesting the first-choice stopper will require a scan on an ankle injury.

With the tie poised at 0-0 from the first leg in Greece, Grant brought back Didier Drogba in place of Nicolas Anelka in attack, while Michael Essien remained on the bench from the win over West Ham at the weekend.

Chelsea: Cudicini, Ferreira, Carvalho, Terry, Ashley Cole, Ballack, Makelele, Lampard, Kalou, Drogba, Joe Cole. Subs: Hilario, Essien, Malouda, Wright-Phillips, Alex, Belletti, Anelka.

Olympiakos: Nikopolidis, Zewlakow, Julio Cesar, Antzas, Pantos, Ledesma, Patsatzoglou, Torosidis, Djordjevic, Stoltidis, Kovacevic. Subs: Sifakis, Leonardo, Nunez, Mendrinos, Konstantinou, Belluschi, Sisic. Referee: Manuel Enrique Mejuto Gonzalez (Spain)

© 2008 The Irish Times