The former Chelsea striker caused controversy last month when he refused to be named on the bench for the Impact’s 2-2 draw with Toronto FC after being told he would not be starting.
Didier Drogba has told MLSSoccer.com that he is happy to assume a bench role when the Montreal Impact face the New York Red Bulls in the second leg of their Eastern Conference semi-final series in the MLS Cup Playoffs on Sunday.
Drogba, who has scored 10 goals in 22 MLS appearances this season, was infamously left out of the Impact squad for last month’s 2-2 draw with Toronto FC after refusing to be involved in the fixture unless he was starting.
The 38-year-old Ivorian striker had begun the previous two matches on the bench due to the form of fellow front man Matteo Mancosu, who joined the club from Bologna in July on a year-long loan, and his absence for the Toronto clash inevitably led to rumours that he had played his last match for the Canadian side.
Club president Joey Saputo subsequently revealed in a statement two days later that the dispute had been resolved following a meeting between himself, Drogba and head coach Mauro Biello, but the former Chelsea star has since been sidelined with a back problem that has forced him to miss the team’s regular season finale and first two playoff matches – a 4-2 knockout-round victory at D.C. United and 1-0 home win over the Red Bulls in the first game of their semi-finals series last Sunday.
He has now returned to full training, however, and hopes to be fit enough to play some part in the away leg at Red Bull Arena this coming weekend.
“It’s a bit better, but not the best, not what I want. But we’re working on it,” Drogba told MLSSoccer.com when asked about his back. “We’ve been working for days to get back to fitness and today, for the first time, I managed to make two sessions, one this morning and one this afternoon, so, a bit satisfied.”
Pressed on the meeting with Saputo and Biello, the veteran forward added: “I don’t think it’s time to create more negativity. I think it’s really time to enjoy what the team is doing right now and be behind them and say to the fans that we need them to be behind us in New York and support the team.”
Even if Drogba is fit enough to start Sunday’s match, though, he does not have much chance of taking Mancosu’s spot in the line-up.
After scoring three times in the regular season, the 31-year-old Italian has been arguably the star performer of the playoffs so far, bagging a brace against D.C. before going on to net a spectacular strike in last weekend’s clash with the Red Bulls to give his side a one-goal advantage for the second leg.
Having also chalked up five assists in 17 appearances, his all-round play has made him virtually droppable at this point, but Drogba insists that he is content to play second fiddle to his in-form teammate.
“I’ve done that in my career, even in Chelsea, you know, in Champions League games,” Drogba told MLSSoccer.com. “I started in my career as a sub so I don’t know why it should be difficult for me to be on the bench.
“I think I’ve showed it, even against San Jose, so I don’t think it’s difficult for people to understand I can be on the bench and without making it a big drama. Anyway, I’m not the type of guy to justify what I’m doing or not.”
With his contract expiring at the end of the year, the general consensus remains that Drogba does not have long left in Montreal, but he could certainly go out with a bang if he can help the club clinch their first-ever MLS Cup title come 10 December – even if he will to do it from a super sub role.
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