Dimitar Berbatov Reveals He Used to Ask Nemanja Vidic to Take it Easy on Him in Man Utd Training

Former Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov has discussed how Nemanja Vidic would 'kick everyone' during training, so much so that he asked the defender to take it easier on people.

Berbatov made the switch to Old Trafford in 2008 and went on to score 56 goals in 149 appearances for the Red Devils. The Bulgarian's game was much more than just scoring goals, with his first touch and close ball control just two of the attributes that made him such a fan-favourite at the club.

He has now opened up on how he needed to protect himself at the club, especially considering the number of big-name players. Berbatov admitted he didn't want to play against Vidic because of his no-nonsense defending, and even asked him to take it easy - but there was no chance.

"The players around me were giants. At times it can be intimidating. If you cannot hold your ground - in training and in the dressing room - then that is not a good thing," Berbatov told MUTV.

"You need to know how to defend yourself in training. Sometimes Wes [Brown] would kick me around and I’d say, 'what the f*** Wes?' Vida was kicking everyone around! He would stand his ground like, 'I don’t care who you are, you get kicked'.

"I didn’t want to play against him. I said, 'Brother, can you be more easy here?' No f***ing chance! It was hard, but it was a great time."

Berbatov went on to discuss how he had the chance to join Manchester City instead of United, but heading to the Etihad never appealed to him.

"In my mind, it was never - because in that time, for me, it was about reaching my personal top, and that was Man Utd at that time," Berbatov added.

"When you see the shirt, the red shirt, the badge, the history, the players, the managers, I mean, you fell in love immediately. And then...when my agent said, 'We have the interest from Man City' but I said, 'Man, please, you know where I want to go, just one way'."