Drogba turns away in celebration after his brilliant strike against Barca

Frank Lampard claims there is no hotter striker in Europe at the moment than his team-mate Didier Drogba.

Chelsea striker Drogba grabbed his ninth goal of the season on Wednesday to condemn Barcelona to their first European defeat in 19 months.

The Ivory Coast international has been in fearsome form since the start of the new campaign.

He fired a hat-trick on his previous Champions League outing, away to Levski Sofia, and scored one of the English Premiership's best goals of the season with a ferocious volley against Liverpool last month.

Lampard, 28, said: "He's a fantastic striker anyway but at the moment he's in one of those really hot spells.

"If he's not the best striker in Europe, I don't know where there's a better one.

"His all-round game is fantastic. He's scoring spectacular goals. That's Didi and it's great to have a striker playing like that.

Chelsea fans expected to be watching Europe's best striker this season after the club spent more than US$56million on Andriy Shevchenko but they did not think it would be Drogba.

The big Ivorian, signed from Marseille for US$45million in 2004, seemed ready to quit the club when Shevchenko arrived.

If he's not the best striker in Europe, I don't know where there's a better one Chelsea's Frank Lampard

Last season he suffered some criticism from Chelsea fans for diving but has responded in style.

Shevchenko has struggled to find top gear but Drogba has cut down on the diving and is enjoying his best form since moving to Stamford Bridge.

Lampard said: "That's what happens when you're a striker. You have to go through the highs and the lows and Didi's on a high.

"You've got the other end of the scale with Shevchenko, who is a world-class striker for years and, at the moment, he can't get his goals."

Drogba's winner against Barcelona came in the 47th minute, when he collected a long pass from Ashley Cole, turned past Carles Puyol on the edge of the penalty box and slammed a right-foot shot into the corner of the net.

Drogba, 28, said: "We won against a big team who played very well but Chelsea played very well and now we have nine points. That's the most important thing.

"My goal gave me a better feeling than the one I scored against Liverpool but I have to say I was a bit lucky with the first touch."

Drogba joins Lampard to celebrate one of Chelsea's victories

Asked if he has ever played better than he is doing at the moment, Drogba replied: "Yes, I think I have, when I was in Marseille."

Victory over Barcelona was sweet for Chelsea, who were knocked out of the Champions League by the Catalans last season.

The Barcelona result has been good therapy in a traumatic week for the club.

Goalkeeper Petr Cech fractured his skull during Saturday's 1-0 win over Reading and is still in hospital after emergency surgery.

Third-string goalkeeper Hilario played against Barca because Carlo Cudicini was knocked unconscious and swallowed his tongue, after coming on as a substitute for Cech at Reading.

Chelsea staff and players have also been saddened by the death of Victoria Buchanan in a road accident on Tuesday.