Stoke midfielder Diao: Diving of Chelsea ace Drogba is entertaining

Stoke City midfielder Salif Diao has told Chelsea star Didier Drogba to carry on diving!

The pair are close friends and face each other in an FA Cup quarter-final - the Potters' first in 38 years - at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Drogba has earned himself a reputation for diving and Diao said although he had spoken to the Ivory Coast international about it, he did not view it as a problem.

"Myself and others tell him to stop diving," he told The Sentinel. "But it's part of the show for him. It is not cheating, but part of the entertainment."

Diao is full of admiration for a player he has known for a decade, having first encountered Drogba when the pair were playing in France.

And although Drogba has returned to top form with 25 goals in the current campaign, after struggling last season under Luis Felipe Scolari, Diao believes he can still get better.

"He has been a good friend for 10 years and as a character I would say we are very similar," said the former Senegal international. "He has a winning mentality and knows what he wants. I think all the big players have that - the wanting to be always the best. We call him 'The Project' because we see him as someone who hasn't finished yet.

"He is not the finished striker yet because he always wants to improve. He's like Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo. They know they have achieved, but they still work hard every day because they want to get even better.

"Some African players get to a level and stay in their comfort zone, but Didier wants to go further and further. Africa has always had big, strong strikers, players like George Weah.

"But if Didier carries on and 'The Project' goes its full term, then I think he will be the greatest."