Drogba urges Frisk to reconsider

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has urged referee Anders Frisk to reconsider his decision to quit football.

Frisk retired after receiving threats thought to have come from some Chelsea supporters after Barcelona’s 2-1 victory over the Blues in the first leg of their last-16 Champions League tie.

That was a game in which Drogba was controversially sent off, and Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho criticised Frisk after the game and accused him of talking with Barca boss Frank Rijkaard at half-time.

Drogba, speaking on the Telefoot programme on French channel TF1, said he hoped his dismissal was not the catalyst for Frisk’s decision to quit.

“I offer my apologies to Mr Frisk if his decision is a consequence of my sending-off,” said the Ivory Coast striker.

“I hope he reconsiders his decision because we need high-quality referees.”

Chelsea eventually progressed to the quarter-finals with a 4-2 win in the return at Stamford Bridge.