Aurier accepts Drogba rebuke

Serge Aurier says he welcomed the advice of Didier Drogba over his behaviour after being admonished by the former Ivory Coast star.

Aurier continues to attract criticism following an infamous incident last season, when he directed homophobic slurs at his then Paris Saint-Germain coach Laurent Blanc and team-mates in an interview broadcast on social media platform Periscope.

The right-back, who was disciplined by the club, has found himself embroiled in several other controversies on and off the field, prompting a measured rebuke from his former international team-mate this week.

“When you have youngsters shouting your name and asking for autographs, you need to watch what you do,” Drogba told RTL when asked about the 23-year-old.

“When he does something that’s not good, I tell him. But he is a good guy. He’s loyal, and he wants to succeed.

“I’ll stick up for him a bit because I lost it sometimes too. I don’t think he’s a bad guy.”

And, talking to Canal Plus after a 0-0 draw with France in Lens on Tuesday, the defender claimed he will heed the warning of the ex-Chelsea striker.

“Didier is a big brother,” he said.

“I still have him on the phone. There is no problem. He is in the best position to judge me. He gave me a lot of advice. I often went on vacation with him. I took this as advice … I take it well. I know he’s a good man, and I know he loves me very much.”