Mancini wary of Benitez-inspired Chelsea backlash

Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini has warned his side to fear a Chelsea backlash this weekend.

The Premier League leaders travel to Stamford Bridge tomorrow at the end of a tumultuous week for the London club.

Chelsea sacked manager Roberto Di Matteo in midweek and installed Rafael Benitez as his replacement after a series of damaging results.

The Blues had gone four Premier League games without a win before a loss to Juventus in the Champions League, which left their European title defence hanging by a thread.

The club have also received further criticism after the FA dismissed their allegations of inappropriate language against referee Mark Clattenburg.

Mancini said: “I am very sorry for Di Matteo because he won the Champions League three or four months ago (actually six) but this is our life.

“When we make this choice (to become a manager) we know it can also be difficult. It is difficult for him, (but) this is the manager’s life.

“Usually when one team changes a manager the game after for the opponents is very difficult. For us, I think it is more difficult.

“Chelsea is a good team with Di Matteo and will be a good team for Benitez. They have good players.

“Until three games ago they played fantastic football and were on the top.”

While Chelsea were being hailed for the quality of their football, City were struggling to reproduce the swashbuckling form which carried them to the title last season.

But Mancini’s men — on the domestic front at least — have managed to keep grinding out results and they remain unbeaten, four points above Chelsea.

City were also unbeaten ahead of the corresponding fixture last season but were beaten 2-1.

Mancini said: “Chelsea is one of the best teams in England, in Europe, they have won everything in the last 10 years.

“Playing against them in London is always a good game. To win there would be important for us.”

City are also hoping to bounce back from their own European disappointment having been eliminated from the Champions League following a 1-1 draw with Real Madrid.

Mancini claims the blow was not so devastating because he had already been resigned to such a fate after poor results in previous games.

He said: “I reflected after Ajax, not after Wednesday night. It was finished, it was really difficult to go to the next stage. We did our mistakes before this game, not in this game.

“We can’t cry for this. It is easy to be strong when we win every game but we should be strong when we can’t win or we can’t play Champions League in February.”