NEMANJA VIDIC has risked another backlash from Didier Drogba by becoming the latest opponent to accuse the striker of play-acting. Similar comments by Rafael Benitez, the Liverpool manager, stirred Drogba to produce a match-winning performance in the Champions League semi-finals, but this has not stopped Vidic raising further questions about the Chelsea player. “Sometimes he [Drogba] goes in very strong and sometimes he pretends he is weak. He plays with your mind and tries to make the defender think about the next tackle,” said Vidic. Arguing that defenders have to be wary of Drogba’s wiles when challenging him in the box, Vidic added: “He can pretend he fell down to win a penalty, but referees know that. The Champions League final is a big game and I’m sure the ref will know his job.”

Vowing to “focus on my game” and not be taken in by any Drogba antics, the Serbian balanced his comments by saying: “He’s a great player and he’s a top scorer. It’s a hard job to stop him.” Vidic also declined to blame Drogba for an incident which saw him leave the field with concussion and miss two weeks when Manchester United met Chelsea in the Premier League last month. Drogba’s knee caught Vidic in the head while challenging for possession, but Vidic said: “He went for the ball and I don’t think he wanted to kick me. It’s in the past and I don’t think about what happened in the past.

“I don’t know if he said sorry. I remember nothing from those first five seconds after it happened, but he didn’t need to apologise. When a player doesn’t mean to kick me yet it happens, I understand that.”

Vidic said the incident had made him consider adjusting his game and taking more precautions when he rejoins battle with Drogba in Moscow. “In the past four months I’ve had two concussions and that’s not good,” he said. Vidic has also suffered several broken noses and serious shoulder, knee and stomach injuries as a result of tackles since he joined United in January, 2006. “I don’t protect myself. I leave myself too open for players to kick me or hurt me,” he said. “I’m not saying they want to – it just happens – but maybe I need to work on my protection. I put my head in, but don’t also put my elbows and hands in to protect myself. I want to win the ball and don’t care how and maybe because of that I get hurt.”

Vidic said the knocks he has suffered would never make him fearful on the football pitch. “I never feel afraid,” he said. “Nobody has ever died on the pitch because of a challenge. Everyone puts me among the hardest players, and says forwards when they play me need to protect themselves, but that’s not true. I don’t try to hurt people and I don’t want to go around saying I’m tough. I go in aggressive, yes, and try to win every ball, but I’m not anything special.”