Drogba denies team talk suggestion

Didier Drogba rubbished suggestions he had sought to undermine Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas by giving a half-time team talk during the club's FA Cup clash with Birmingham. The aftermath of Saturday's 1-1 fifth-round draw saw Blues boss Villas-Boas react furiously to the insinuation star striker Drogba had circumvented his authority before coming off the bench at Stamford Bridge. Drogba sought to clarify the matter ahead of Tuesday night's Champions League game at Napoli, explaining he was merely delivering a pep talk in the tunnel on top of Villas-Boas' usual half-time duties. The 33-year-old, who is set for a recall in Italy, said: "I want to make things clear - the manager made a speech at half-time, and after that, I think he's got some leaders in the team, in the squad. We're here to help him. "We were just trying to bring the team up. We did what the manager wanted us to do and tried to apply what he was saying. Nothing more. "People are making a big thing out of nothing." Villas-Boas' post-match eruption was not surprising considering he had admitted two days earlier that some of his players no longer backed his project. Previous Chelsea managers have cited player power as being partly behind their sackings but Drogba insisted the squad took collective responsibility for results. He said: "Chelsea Football Club is responsible for the results, and I think we all have to play our game. The players have to play their game." Drogba admitted he and his team-mates could feel nobody else believed in them amid what is their worst campaign since the Ivorian joined the club. But he was adamant Chelsea could turn things around in a difficult Champions League game, just as they did three months ago. Tuesday's last-16 first leg may be their first official knockout European tie of the season but Chelsea have already faced one do-or-die clash, December's final Group E game against Valencia. Drogba inspired them to victory that day in what was his and the club's best performance under Villas-Boas. He said: "We've been in a difficult situation the last few weeks, few months, but in the past we always found the strength to play these games and to win them. "Like when we were in trouble against Valencia but won the game and qualified. "Tomorrow we have to do a good game, a big game, and make a good result because there's a second leg at Stamford Bridge." He added: "I think we can feel that nobody really believes in us. "We are used to this competition and, tomorrow, we're going to have to show we deserve to be here. "This is a cup game and, tomorrow, we are going to have to get a good result. "We'll have to be clever tomorrow and we're going to do what the manager is going to ask us to do. "Like always, of course!"