• Champions League

Drogba rubbishes team-talk claim

ESPN staff
February 20, 2012
Didier Drogba and Andre Villas-Boas were in relaxed mood in Naples © Getty Images
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Didier Drogba has denied giving a team-talk at half time of Chelsea's 1-1 draw with Birmingham in the FA Cup and insisted the players are fully behind embattled manager Andre Villas-Boas.

The Blues have slipped off the pace in the Premier League on account of a poor run of form, with their battle for silverware being a two-pronged assault on the FA Cup and Champions League.

Chelsea faced Birmingham in the FA Cup on Saturday and were trailing 1-0 at the break. Pictures appeared to show Drogba rallying the troops in the tunnel, which led to suggestions that the players were looking for leadership.

This irked Villas-Boas who hit out at the media. Chelsea's focus is now on their Champions League clash with Napoli on Tuesday and Drogba and Villas-Boas put on a united front at a press conference on Monday evening.

"I want to make it clear that the manager made the speech at half-time," Drogba said. "He has some leaders in the squad, we are there to help him and after that we were trying to pick the team up, nothing more.

"We did what the manager wanted us to do, to apply what he was saying.

"I think people are making a big thing out of nothing."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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