UNITED KINGDOM: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has refused to comment further on the Carlos Tevez saga

Record ID: 731311

  • Title: UNITED KINGDOM: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has refused to comment further on the Carlos Tevez saga
  • Date: 1st October 2011
  • Summary: MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (RECENT - SEPTEMBER 26, 2011) (REUTERS) MID SHOT OF MANCINI RUNNING WITH PLAYERS WIDE SHOT OF MAN CITY PLAYERS TRAINING
  • Embargoed: 16th October 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: United Kingdom, United Kingdom
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVABUCSAR6MWGN35W1IVIGDLCQUP
  • Story Text: Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini ignored Carlo Tevez on Friday (September 30) by avoiding any mention of the suspended Argentine at his news conference. He also denied this had been a difficult week for the club.
    While Alex Ferguson praised his rival for his "strength of character" in dealing with Tevez, who Mancini has said refused to come on in Tuesday's 2-0 Champions League defeat at Bayern Munich, the subject was off limits at a City news conference.
    The club took the unusual step of reading out a statement beforehand to say that any questions relating directly or indirectly to Tevez would spell the end of proceedings.
    The closest Mancini got to talking about the Tevez incident was a question about complications in the team after the Bayern game.
    "I don't have any complications," Mancini said. "The only complications that we had is that we lost against Bayern Munich only this, the other there is no problems. Also because we started very well and we can have a fantastic season, I don't have any other problem".
    Mancini did admit that he was disappointed with the performance of both his team and the referee in Germany.
    "I was upset because I think that we played very well for 30 minutes, we did well and there should have been two penalties. And after we conceded two goals and that was strange, only this. I knew that we could lose against Bayern Munich because every game in the Champions League is very hard, and I am upset because we conceded the two goals but I am also happy in the first 30 minutes because we played very well".
    During the match Edin Dzeko was angry at being called off for a substitution, but Mancini said that the club had moved on.
    "We do not have any problem with Edin or Zaba (Zabaleta), that is all," said Mancini, adding "It was finished Thursday morning and our focus now is all about Blackburn".
    City travel to Blackburn on Saturday (October 1) and will be looking to continue their strong start to the Premier League, keeping up the pressure on Manchester rivals United.
    "Until now we did well, we did well also at Fulham because it is difficult to win always, for us or United and all the teams," said Mancini. "All the games here are very hard. Tomorrow will be like Fulham, we will be against a strong team. They beat Arsenal and played very well so tomorrow I think it is important that we change some players because we want all the players fresh.
    Manchester City currently lie second in the Premier League, level on 16 points with early leaders Manchester United.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register