Mancini opens door for Tevez
On Tuesday Tevez said sorry for his conduct in recent months having returned to Manchester from his unauthorised three-month break in South America last week.
The 28-year-old striker had been in dispute with the club since he refused to warm up during last September’s infamous Champions League defeat at Bayern Munich.
Mancini did not respond to the apology until after last night’s Europa League game against Porto, after City cruised into the last 16 thanks to a 4-0 win on the night and a 6-1 success on aggregate.
However, the path would now seem clear for Tevez to rejoin the first team squad and he could play once match-fit.
Mancini said: “He has apologised, I do not have any problem.
“Tomorrow I will meet him before training and after he can start to work with us.
“I think he maybe needs two or three weeks to find good form and after, if he is okay, he will play, like the other players.”
Mancini added: “I think Carlos knows the team very well.
“The team in the last six or seven months have played very well and is top of the Premier League.
“We know Carlos very well, he is a top striker. If he is good, I think he can do a good job in the next two months.”
In spite of City’s emphatic winning margin last night, Mancini felt his team had come through a tough test against the Portuguese champions.
After taking the lead through Sergio Aguero after just 18 seconds, City had to wait until the 76th minute to double their advantage after spurning a number of chances.
Mancini said: “It was a good night but it was not easy.
“We had other chances to score but we didn’t score, and when you don’t score, you can have other problems.
“It is not easy to beat Porto, they are one of the top teams in Europe and I am happy that we are going to the next stage.”
City’s second came from substitute Edin Dzeko before the sending off of Porto’s Rolando preceded further strikes from David Silva and David Pizarro in the closing minutes.
Mancini hopes the victory will boost confidence for a continued push on two fronts.
City, who now await the winners of the tie between Sporting Lisbon and Legia Warsaw, also lead the Premier League by two points with 13 games remaining.
When asked about the double challenge, Mancini said: “We hope so but it is not easy.
“We want to try to go to the final if possible but it will be difficult because the Europa League has top squads — Manchester United, Valencia, Schalke — it is like the Champions League.
“For this reason it will be difficult but we want to try.’’
MAN CITY: Hart, Richards, Kompany, Lescott, Clichy, Barry (Milner 58), De Jong, Silva, Toure Yaya, Nasri (Dzeko 69), Aguero (Pizarro 80).
FC PORTO: Helton, Alex Sandro, Rolando, Otamendi (Cristian Rodriguez 63), Maicon, Gonzalez, Fernando, Joao Moutinho, Varela (Sapunaru 63), Hulk, James Rodriguez (Defour 81).
Referee: Wolfgang Stark (Germany).
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
