Didier Drogba decline to play for his club after being told he'd start from the bench

38-year-old Didier Drogba has come off the bench in 2 of the club's last 4 matches and has scored 21 league goals in 35 matches since joining the club in 2015 but on Sunday after learning from manager Mauro Biello that he would also start the fixture from the bench refused to play the match which they eventually drew 2-2 against Canadian rivals Toronto.

'I spoke with him (on Saturday) and he didn't accept the fact that he would come off the bench and, in the end, he didn't want to be in the 18,' coach Mauro Biello said. 'He decided not to play.'

The MLS club originally stated that back pain was the reason that the 38-year-old didn’t play but have now backtracked after rumours of a discord between Drogba and the manager surfaced in the media.

“There was tightness in his back, yes, but he was capable of playing. The organisation will have to handle this,” Manager Biello reported before the match.