Roberto Mancini (right) kept Carlos Tévez (left) out of action for several months.
Foto:
Alex Livesey / Getty Images
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The former Argentine player of Manchester City Pablo Zabaleta revealed details of an altercation between his compatriot Carlos Tévez and Roberto Mancini when they were in the English team, which led to a severe punishment for the ‘Apache’.
It is no secret to anyone that Tévez, who announced his retirement from football this week, has a strong character and rebelliousness that led him to have several problems throughout his career, including one in his time as ‘Citizen’.
In an interview for the Manchester City media, Pablo Zabaleta, who was captain of that team, spoke of the night the ‘Apache’ refused to warm up for a game against Bayern Munich in the 2011-2012 season.
Before telling the anecdote, the former defender clarified that it was a “misunderstanding” that got out of control due to the defeat suffered by his team that day. “I was sitting next to Carlos. I remember he went to warm up and spent maybe 30-35 minutes warming up in the second half.Zabaleta recalled.
“Mancini was upset that we were losing, he looked around and asked Carlos why he wasn’t warming up. Carlos said: ‘Coach, I’m ready, I’ve been warming up for 35 minutesI’m ready if you want me to play.”
“Mancini didn’t get that message from Carlos, he was angry and then they argued in the locker room. Finally, Mancini said: ‘Get a plane back to Argentina and don’t come back! highlighted the world runner-up with the Argentina team in 2014.
Beyond mentioning said episode, the also former West Ham player, praised Carlo Tévez and his way of living football. “I had known Carlos for many years, because we played together with Argentina U17 and U20 and I knew he was a winner,” he said.
He also highlighted that the former Boca Junior player was one of the best players with whom he shared the court. “Tévez at his best was one of the best strikers I’ve ever played with“.
“He wasn’t the biggest or the fastest, but he was skilled, strong and determined and he was a player that I personally always wanted to have on the team. He was a true leader. When he came back from Argentina towards the end of the season, he wanted to do what he could to help the team win the Premier League”, he concluded.
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