Nemanja Vidic has spoken for the first time
about Didier Drogba’s Moscow red card, insisting: “I was protecting
Carlos Tevez.”
The Manchester United defender was slapped across the
face by Drogba in extra time after he dived in to defend Tevez but
admits he does not blame the Blues striker for his reaction.
Vidic, 26, said: “After the throw-in we had to return
the ball to Chelsea and we did that by sending the ball again out
of play.
“Tevez got pushed for doing that and I immediately came
to protect him.
“I also asked Chelsea’s players what is the problem as
they previously returned the ball by kicking it out — and I thought
Tevez did not do anything wrong.
“The pushing continued then Drogba touched me but I
don’t blame him.
“It’s a final, a very important game and some players
cannot control themselves in similar situations.
“Maybe my reaction was also bad as I ran half the field
to put myself in an awkward situation.
“But now it’s behind me — the most important thing is
we won the trophy.”
Drogba would have taken the all- important fifth
Chelsea penalty — missed by John Terry — if he stayed on the
pitch.