MUNICH, Germany, September 28 – Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini has insisted striker Carlos Tevez is ‘finished’ with the club after he refused to go on in the defeat at Bayern Munich in Tuesday’s Champions League match.
“Yes, he refused to go on,” confirmed Mancini, who had wanted to make Tevez his second substitution during City’s 2-0 defeat in Munich.
“I don’t know, but with me he is finished,” fumed the Italian when asked where Tevez’s future lies now and added the decision to sell Tevez is in the hands of City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak.
“Yes, I am really disappointed, because he is Carlos.
“When one player refuses to go on to help his teammates in a match as important as this, it is very disappointing.”
The former City captain has had a troubled time at City since being released from Manchester United in 2009 with Tevez even handing in a written transfer request last December citing family reasons and a break-down in relations with the club.
The matter was later resolved with Mancini saying he thought the Argentian star would stay but stripped him of the captaincy.
Tevez for his part later spoke briefly through an interpreter to Sky Sports.
“It is his (Mancini’s) decision,” he said.
“I’ve been professional in the last year. This last year I was the best scorer and I put my opinion through that I wanted to leave for family reasons but I keep trying to do my best.”
However, despite his claims his latest tantrum at Munich’s Allianz Arena has left Mancini with little room for manouevre.
“He refused to warm up, he was going to be my second substitution,” said Mancini
“If one player earns a lot of money for Manchester City and refuses to go on, for me, he is finished.
“If we want to improve, Carlos can’t play with us, he is finished.
“We will speak about this with the chairman in the next few days.
“He is the chairman, he makes the decision.”
Tevez’s anger stems from Mancini’s decision to bring off striker Edin Dezko and replace him with defender Nigel de Jong after 56 minutes, instead of the Argentinian.
Dzeko was visibly unhappy with the substitution and could also be disciplined after Mancini insists he makes the decisions.
“I can understand one player is disappointed, but I am the manager I decide everything, every manager has the right to make these decisions,” said the Italian.
“For Dzeko, it is different to Tevez, but that is the last time a player has this sort of behaviour.”
Germany striker Mario Gomez scored twice for Bayern which gave the winners their tenth straight victory.
After their 2-0 win at Villarreal a fortnight ago, the result leaves Bayern firmly in control of Group A as the German league leaders subdued City’s star-studded attack.
City, currently second in the Premier League to neighbours Manchester United, had few answers to Bayern’s all-out attack and now have just one point from their opening two Champions League games in their debut campaign.
