Chelsea stars Michael Ballack and Didier Drogba are struggling to be fit for Tuesday's Champions League semi at Liverpool.

The Ivorian continues to labour with the knee injury which has ruled him out of the last two games, while the German midfielder strained his hamstring in training on Tuesday ahead of the victory at Everton on Thursday.

Ballack is the likelier to feature at Liverpool, with his fitness to be assessed at Cobham over the weekend before the squad's return to Merseyside on Monday, though Avram Grant appeared somewhat pessimistic about both players' prospects.

"I am not sure they will play because they did not train," admitted the Israeli. "Drogba is doing his best to be well and I hope it will be OK, if not for the first game against Liverpool then for the second. Ballack is the same, so we will have to wait and see."