Rapid Vienna striker Ercan Kara hopes to take inspiration from his idol Didier Drogba when Arsenal arrive in Austria for Thursday’s Europa League group-stage opener, in quotes reported by Vienna.AT.
Across two trophy-laden spells at Stamford Bridge, one of the most fearsome forwards of the Premier League era terrorised Arsene Wenger’s side on a regular basis.
From Wembley winners to searing free-kicks, Drogba found the net 13 times in just 15 games against the Gunners.
What’s more, he found himself on the losing side just once on 15 occasions between 2004 and 2015.
So there are certainly worse players for Kara to take inspiration from ahead of Rapid Vienna’s most high-profile European fixture since a 4-0 thumping at the hands of Inter Milan 20 months ago.
“I’m calm. (Arsenal’s players) are great players but they are only people and price tags don’t score goals,” explains Kara, a 6ft 4in battering ram who shares similarities with a certain Chelsea legend.
“My role model is Didier Drogba and he often scored against Arsenal. That may be a good omen.”
Rapid have won three of their first four games in the Austrian Bundesliga and Kara has formed a formidable partnership with Greek international Taxiarchis Fountas – one of the hottest forwards in European football.
Arsenal’s improving but eternally erratic back line won’t have it easy in Vienna that’s for sure.
“A lot can happen in a game,” Kara adds. “We have often seen the underdog succeed.”
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