Di Matteo won´t chide Drogba for diving

Chelsea interim manager Roberto Di Matteo insists there is no need for him to warn Didier Drogba about diving.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson revealed on Friday that he has ‘had a word’ with his winger Ashley Young about going down too easily, while Drogba was widely criticised for play-acting during the Blues’ midweek win over Barcelona.

But Di Matteo told reporters: “No (I won’t talk to Drogba), because I don’t see any reason why I should have a conversation like that.

“Our players, I think, are fair players. Everybody has his own style but I think we are a fair team.”

Drogba scored the only goal in Chelsea’s 1-0 victory at Stamford Bridge in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final against the Catalans, but several observers remarked that he went to ground too often.

Di Matteo stuck up for the Ivorian, adding: “He was marked most of time by two men and I think got a lot of physical battering as well on the night. We have to be objective about our opinions as well.”

The 34-year-old picked up a knee injury in Wednesday’s win and, having been ruled out of the Premier League meeting with Arsenal on Saturday, is doubt for the Camp Nou return leg on Tuesday.

“We have to assess him, and how he recovers,” Di Matteo said. “He got pushed and kicked around quite a lot in the game on Wednesday.”

Drogba has been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge when his contract expires at the end of the season, but the Italian professed to have no knowledge of transfer and contract talks as interim manager at Chelsea.

“That’s a conversation that will happen with the club. That has nothing really to do with myself,” he said.