UNITED KINGDOM: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Roberto Mancini feels sorry for sacked Chelsea coach Roberto Di Matteo but there will be no sympathy on Sunday as Manchester City's manager looks to forget their Champions League failure

Record ID: 595944

  • Title: UNITED KINGDOM: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Roberto Mancini feels sorry for sacked Chelsea coach Roberto Di Matteo but there will be no sympathy on Sunday as Manchester City's manager looks to forget their Champions League failure
  • Date: 23rd November 2012
  • Summary: MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (NOVEMBER 23, 2012) (REUTERS) MANCHESTER CITY MANAGER ROBERTO MANCINI ARRIVING AT THE NEWS CONFERENCE CAMERA FILMING THE NEWS CONFERENCE "RM" ON MANCINI'S TRAINING TOP (SOUNDBITE) (English) MANCHESTER CITY MANAGER, ROBERTO MANCINI, TALKING ABOUT CITY'S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE EXIT, SAYING: "It is easy to be strong when we win every game. We sh
  • Embargoed: 8th December 2012 12:00
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  • Location: United Kingdom
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA5AVH0MLR675A8LWTNNRZ5B1A6
  • Story Text: Roberto Mancini said on Friday (November 23) that he was sorry for Roberto Di Matteo who was sacked by Chelsea on Wednesday (November 21).
    Italian Mancini felt the decision was harsh on his compatriot who had won the Champions League in May but City will not show any sympathy when the teams meet in the Premier League on Sunday (November 25).
    Mancini is also under pressure after City's 1-1 draw with Real Madrid on Wednesday eliminated them from the Champions League at the group stage for the second successive year.
    The 47-year-old was adamant the failure would make the team stronger.

    "It is easy to be strong when we win every game. We should also be strong when we lose some games or when we can't play Champions League in February," Mancini told reporters at a news conference in Manchester. "Also by this situation we can improve as a team, as a club, because I don't think that it is easy to win the Premier League and do enough the year after the Champions League.

    "It is clear that we are disappointed because I think that we have also players that deserve to play in the Champions League, but together we did some mistakes and for this reason we are out."
    Di Matteo only lasted at the Chelsea helm for seven months and although Mancini sympathised with the Italian he said it is part of being a soccer manager.

    "I can say that I am very sorry for Di Matteo because he won a Champions League three months ago, four months ago," Mancini said. "But this is our life, when we do this choice we know that sometimes it can be also difficult but I think it is difficult for him but this is the manager's life and it does not change this."
    Mancini is wary of the impact Chelsea's new interim manager Rafael Benitez will have on the team. Chelsea have not won in the league since October 20 when they beat Tottenham Hotspur 4-2 but Mancini is not taking the game lightly.
    Spain's Benitez teams up with striker Fernando Torres for the second time having signed his compatriot for Liverpool. Benitez said on Thursday (November 22) that he was confident he could turn his compatriot's fortune around and Mancini admitted he was worried.

    "I think that Fernando (Torres) is a good striker but sometimes for the striker it's difficult because if you don't score for three or four games for a striker it is always difficult.

    "But I think that Chelsea was a good team with Di Matteo and will be a good team with Benitez. They can't change their players in two days but they have good players. Until three games ago they played fantastic football they were on the top, and for us it will be difficult but we want to do well on Sunday.

    "I think that Chelsea is one of the best teams in England and in Europe. They've won everything in the last 10 years, and to play against Chelsea in London is always a good game. And to win there could be very important for us, also if we want to win we should play a really good game."
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