Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini rejected Carlos Tevez`s accusation he had treated him "like a dog" and said on Wednesday he had, if anything, been too nice to the rebel striker.
|Last Updated: Feb 16, 2012, 08:52 AM IST|Source: Bureau
Manchester: Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini rejected Carlos Tevez`s accusation he had treated him "like a dog" and said on Wednesday he had, if anything, been too nice to the rebel striker.
Tevez returned from Argentina on Tuesday having spent three months in his homeland without his club`s permission and has not played for City since refusing to warm up in September`s Champions League defeat at Bayern Munich.
Reluctant to talk about Tevez, who before heading back to Manchester had laid into his manager for the way he had handled events in Germany, Mancini spoke briefly about him during a news conference before Thursday`s Europa League game at Porto.
"I totally disagree with Carlos, what he said, because I have never treated him badly," the Italian said. "Maybe it`s the opposite, I treated him too well, always.
"This is the last question I answer (about Tevez for) the next three months."
The Argentine striker is not with the team in Portugal but has spoken of his desire to play a part in Premier League leaders City`s pursuit of a first league title since 1968.
Much will depend on what shape the 28-year-old forward is in but his strong criticism of Mancini is also unlikely to help his cause, while it also remains to be seen how forgiving fans will be over his behaviour.
Describing his version of what had happened in Munich, Tevez had said earlier this week: "He (Mancini) saw me on the bench and as he was angry, he sent me again like a dog to warm up. Because he said it to me in a bad tone I refused."
Immediately after September`s incident, Mancini had said Tevez was "finished" but has since softened his stance by saying last week: "If he was here and playing it would be better because Carlos can change games."
Tevez has been the subject of disciplinary action by the club, over both his refusal to warm up and his subsequent unauthorised departure to his homeland, and has said he would have to be "brilliant" on the pitch to get fans back on side.
For weeks after the game in Munich, the subject of Tevez was off-limits at Mancini`s news conferences and the Italian`s latest comments suggest this could be the case for the rest of the season.
Bureau Report
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.