Scolari irritated by Drogba rumours

Nov 26 2008

Chelsea will go into Wednesday's vital Champions League showdown with Bordeaux surrounded by yet more controversy over their Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba.

Drogba is alleged to have met Inter Milan's sporting director Marco Branca in a Fulham restaurant on Monday night along with Jose Mourinho's agent, Jorge Mendes, and the player's representative.

Chelsea coach Luiz Felipe Scolari was clearly irritated by the Drogba rumour, saying: "I do not sleep with him (Drogba). Where he was last night? I don't know. I am not a policeman for my players."

But when the Brazilian was asked if Drogba had been given permission to be in the company of Branca, Scolari's tone worsened.

He said: "Ask (chief executive) Peter Kenyon, ask (owner) Roman Abramovich. I don't know, I am only the coach."

The club were aware that the rumour was circulating throughout Tuesday afternoon but were determined not to talk publicly about it.

Inter coach Mourinho insists he has no plans to bring his former player to the San Siro despite the latest link.

"I don't know where Branca was, I was at dinner at Cernobbio," he said. "I know absolutely nothing about this story."

The rumours cast a shadow over Chelsea's preparations for a game in which victory would ensure qualification to the knockout stages.

"We need to qualify," Scolari said. "We need to get to the second stage. We lost one chance against Roma, this will be our second chance."