Chelsea rally behind Drogba over ref rant

Chelsea captain John Terry and manager Guus Hiddink have rallied behind Didier Drogba as the Ivory Coast striker faces potentially severe punishment by UEFA over his furious confrontation with the referee after the club’s Champions League exit.

A stoppage time goal from Andres Iniesta earned Barcelona a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday and put the Catalans into a Rome final with Manchester United.

Chelsea’s players were left incensed over referee Tom Henning Ovrebo’s performance and Drogba, who had been substituted late in the game, stormed on to the pitch at the final whistle to harangue the official, who had to be escorted down the tunnel by a group of stewards.

Drogba then aggravated his extremely intimidating behaviour by screaming obscenities into a television camera, forcing some broadcasters who were carrying the match live to apologise to viewers.

“Are you watching this? It is a disgrace,” Drogba shouted.

Hiddink, who attempted to restrain Drogba, acknowledged that the striker’s conduct was close to the limit of what is acceptable but said he fully understood his frustration over what he described as the worst refereeing performance he had seen in his long career.

“Of course I can fully understand his reaction – full of adrenaline and emotion,” said Hiddink. “People say he should be in control. The moment a player starts hitting then he is going beyond where he should go.

“I can understand his emotion and his behaviour after the game. I will protect that.”

Hiddink felt Chelsea might have had as many as four penalties, so found it hard to understand why Ovrebo had failed to award at least two of them, and questioned why the Norwegian had been given such a big match.

“In big games like this you need top-notch referees who have had big experience in leagues like Spain, Italy, England and Germany,” he said.

“There is an overall feeling of being robbed, of there having been an injustice. That’s why they were so hot and angry.

“Of course the players make mistakes, coaches make mistakes and referees can make mistakes, that’s why we talk about giving the benefit of the doubt.

“But if you have seen three or four situations waved away, then it’s the worst I have seen.”

Terry put the penalty count at six or seven and appeared to suggest that Ovrebo’s handling of the match was influenced by a perceived desire by UEFA to avoid another all-English final.

“Not one player made one mistake in the two legs,” Terry said. “The referee has made four or five or six big errors and now we’re out of the competition.

“The word conspiracy is maybe the wrong one. It’s difficult when players are so high on emotion after a game.

“People are saying we should not have reacted the way we did but the fact is that six decisions went against us. For the ref not to give one of them is unusual.”

Terry added: “I’m fully behind Didier. The fact is the referee is the one who should face the consequences.”