City fans turn red faced as they arrive at Wembley with tickets for the wrong match
Six City fans almost had a cup final day to forget - after buying tickets for the WRONG match.
The pals only realised when they were on a minibus to Piccadilly train station that they had actually got tickets for the Blues v Sunderland Premier League clash on February 12 rather than for Sunday's Capital One Cup final.
They went down to London anyway and four managed to buy tickets for the sell-out clash at face-value from kindhearted fellow City fans.
But two, including the lad who made the error, had to watch Vincent Kompany's men land the trophy from a curry house.
Andrew Heald, a pal of the group who are from Chadderton, near Oldham explained: "A lad called Phil Brierley had looked after it all.
"He'd bought the tickets on the City website ages ago and put them all into envelopes for everyone.
"They hired a minibus to take them to Piccadilly and he handed them their envelopes.
"They opened them and one of them spotted that there was no picture of the cup on their ticket.
"He thought that was odd and looked a bit closer at the date. They saw that they were for the home match at the Etihad that got called off last month!
"They had all paid £70 for a train ticket so they decided to come down anyway and called me to see if I could get them any. I spoke to a tout but he was after £200.
"Fortunately four of them managed to get one from City fans who wouldn't charge them more than face value but Phil and another lad ended up watching it in a curry house."
Andrew added that Phil was the butt of all the jokes when they arrived back home.
"He was very apologetic and buying everyone drinks," he said.
"He said he was in a rush when he got the tickets and didn't check properly."
It's down to the boss! Man City's Sergio Aguero credits Manuel Pellegrini with cup success
SERGIO Aguero has hailed Manuel Pellegrini as the mastermind behind Manchester City’s silverware assault.
City claimed the first trophy of the season on Sunday with their 3-1 win over Sunderland in the Capital One Cup final.
The big-spenders are also in the hunt for the Premier League title, FA Cup and Champions League.
City can go back to the top of the table if they win their two games in hand on Chelsea and face Wigan in the FA Cup quarter-finals.
No team has ever landed a domestic treble and Aguero claims his boss has made a dramatic impact since replacing Roberto Mancini last summer.
Aguero said: “Every manager is different, and with Manuel what he does is he talks a lot to all of us and treats every player the same.
“This is important. He says things to motivate us and that’s good.
“I’m pleased as it’s the first trophy for Manuel. We adapted quite quickly to his way of playing and I’m pleased as he’s given us a lot of guidance."
Jesus Navas reckons the Chilean is a master at getting his players to rise to the occasion.
“He knows what the team needs at every moment and especially how to use the football - that’s important for us”
Jesus Navas
“It’s his way of working, his integrity, his ability to get the best out of every player in every game, that’s the key thing,” he said.
“He knows what the team needs at every moment and especially how to use the - that’s important for us.”
Nasri: This is just the start
City's cup final goalscorer said defeat against Sunderland could wreck their season - now he feels victory could make it.
Cup final hero Samir Nasri smashed in the winning goal and declared “This is just the start!”
The Blues ace, voted official man of the match, last week warned his teammates that a defeat by Sunderland at Wembley could wreck their season - just as it did to Arsenal when they lost in the League Cup final three years ago.
Having rubbed out the bitter memories of the FA Cup final defeat by Wigan last May, and chalked up the first trophy of the domestic season, Nasri now feels victory can bring a boost which could take City towards a domestic treble, a feat never before achieved.
City players and staff celebrated with a party at a secret central London location last night before travelling back to Manchester today - and getting straight back down to business tomorrow.
The Blues take on Wigan in the FA Cup quarter-final at the Etihad Stadium next Sunday, and a victory in that will see them back at Wembley for the semi-finals on the weekend of April 12 and 13.
“This can be just the start of something fantastic for us this season,” said Nasri. “We still have the League and FA Cup to focus on - we will enjoy this win and tomorrow is another day, when we must focus on our target.
“It will be a great boost and you will see that next week against Wigan - it’s important for this team to win trophies.
“We won the league two years ago, but when you lose finals it is always difficult and painful, and you remember that. We are over it now because we won this cup and know we can succeed. Now we will do our best to win the league and FA Cup.”
Nasri has painful memories of Wembley, having lost there with Arsenal in 2011 - when they blew the league, FA Cup and Champions League - and last season with City.
“I am happy and relieved,” he said. “It was third time lucky for me - I scored a goal and we won the trophy, and that is an amazing feeling. The last two finals I played here it was painful.
“With Arsenal we lost in the last minute against Birmingham, and last year against Wigan was very painful for the squad. We used that experience to succeed this year, and I am really happy about it.”
To add to his joy, Nasri picked up the Alan Hardaker Trophy as man of the match, after his brilliant goal, following another stunner from his close pal Yaya Toure: “I don’t know whose was the best goal! I will have to watch them back,” he said.
“The goal by Yaya was amazing, but my goal was a volley, and it was nice too. It doesn’t matter, what’s important is that we scored and won the trophy. I hope I can score many more goals and help to bring more trophies."
Dzeko eyed by Euro duo
Borussia Dortmund and Inter Milan are both being linked with a summer raid on Manchester City for striker Edin Dzeko.
The 27-year-old hitman has never really commanded a regular first-team spot in the City side since he was signed by former boss Roberto Mancini from Bundesliga side Wolfsburg for £27million in January 2011.
Dzeko was linked with a move away from the Etihad Stadium last summer when Manuel Pellegrini took over as manager and brought in Alvaro Negredo and Stevan Jovetic.
However, Carlos Tevez was the striker to make way as he joined Italian champions Juventus, while Dzeko was told by the Chilean tactician that he will play a part in his plans.
Despite that assurance Dzeko has continued to be a back-up forward to first-choice duo Sergio Aguero and Negredo and he was again linked with a move away in January.
However, Pellegrini opted to keep him given that City were at the time fighting it out for silverware on four different fronts and he wanted a strong squad.
But with the summer now approaching it appears Borussia Dortmund will make a bid for Dzeko as they are about to lose star striker Robert Lewandowski to Bayern Munich.
Italian giants Inter have also been linked with a swoop for the player, who City will want to recoup around £15-20million for his signature and will command around £150,000-a-week in wages.
Manchester City player says his success has left father in tears
Fernandinho was an expensive purchase for Manchester City in the summer but few people talk about his price-tag anymore. The Brazilian midfielder has proven his worth to the club and is now a fixture in the team and looks like he will be for some time to come.
Performances in the Premier League have brought Fernandinho international attention and he's now being noticed more in his own country of Brazil. The midfielder moved to Ukrainian football in 2005 before he had made himself a big star in Brazil, that left him largely ignored despite success with Shakhtar Donetsk. He had a handful of apperances for the national side but wasn't considered a regular and it's taken a move to Manchester City to get him in the picture for the World Cup.
His recent call-up makes his World Cup dream a possible aim and that's left the footballer's family overcome with emotion. Speaking to Gazzetta, Fernandinho said "We Brazilians go through so many difficulties, there is a lot of poverty. My dad has always pushed me to continue. I remember when I was training as a child, I did not have the money to pay the bus fare to go to training. My dad had to go to work and there was no money for two tickets. he told me that he'd go by bike and I'd take the bus.
"This call-up is for him and my family... my dad could not speak (when told of the Brazil call-up), he cried all the time. Looking back on the many sacrifices, it's impossible to control the emotion."
Fernandinho is very happy with his new life at Manchester City and explained he's willing to continue to make sacrifices as long as it helps his career. Getting into the final Brazil World Cup squad is not a certainty because Brazil have a glut of talented players in his position. He's up against people like Pualinho, Lucas Leiva, Luiz Gustavo and Hernanes. Whilst Fernandinho has probably had a better season than any of them he doesn't have the international experience they do and he'll want to impress Luiz Felipe Scolari as much as he can before the World Cup squad is picked.
Tueart proud of both clubs for 'People's Final'
Ex-City and Sunderland star Dennis Tueart reckons both clubs had plenty to shout about after a memorable Capital One Cup Final.
The man who played for both clubs also revealed he suffered a moment of panic before the game – when he thought he was going to have to pledge loyalty to one of the two sides!
And Tueart joked that he knew Vincent Kompany’s late attempt to mimic the famed overhead kick he struck to land the League Cup final in 1976 would fail because the giant Belgian ‘isn’t as athletic as me’.
The competition has come under fire in recent years, with many claiming that it is nothing more than an unwanted distraction for the Premier League’s elite.
But all that was forgotten on a rip-roaring Sunday afternoon in north London when 84,697 noisy fans watched a thrilling, ding-dong old school affair.
Tueart was one of those fortunate enough to be inside Wembley Stadium and said the occasion was all about the supporters.
“In 1976 they called it the People’s Final when we beat Newcastle,” he said. “I think that it was another people’s final on Sunday. The great thing about this competition is that both clubs get increased allocations so the atmosphere was superb.”
Tueart is not wrong – both sets of supporters did themselves proud under the arch. For Sunderland it was undoubtedly a big day. It was their first trip to Wembley for a major final since 1992 and they made sure they enjoyed it. Decked in their red and white stripes, they gave their brave side tremendous backing and stayed behind long after the final whistle to applaud their efforts.
But City fans could also be proud of themselves. Despite being the overwhelming favourites, the blue hordes urged their team on on as they completed a memorable second-half recovery.
“The clubs got bigger allocations than they would have done in the FA Cup and I thought that really helped,” added Tueart. “The fans had a lot in common. The people of the north east and north west are both working class, passionate people.
“They both support two teams with a great history and are both from largely industrial cities.
“When Vincent Kompany lifted the trophy he did so against a backdrop of Sunderland fans and I thought it was great that they all stayed to enjoy the occasion – even though their side had lost.”
Dennis took in the action with friend Dave Watson. Both had split loyalties after representing both clubs with distinction. And Dennis revealed they almost had to pick a side before kick-off.
“We were both worried because at the start of the game they were having the 1973 Sunderland FA Cup team and the 1976 City League Cup teams go to the fans,” he said. We thought we were going to have to choose. Where were we going to go? Fortunately they saw sense and staged one after the other. We did the City one and then ran up to the Sunderland end!”
Kompany, who recovered well after his early mistake led to Fabio Borini’s shock opener, attempted to emulate Tueart’s overhead kick that won the 76 Final but saw his unorthodox effort flash wide late on.
However, Tueart said he was never worried the Blues skipper was going to steal his thunder.
“He’s not as athletic as me!” he quipped. “I didn’t realise at the time but I came home and saw it on the highlights.”
Tueart maintained he would have been happy to see either side lift the trophy. “I would have been happy for both of them,” he said.
“But I said in the build-up that it would be decided by moments of quality and that’s how it turned out. I sat next to Phil Parkinson, the Bradford manager, and he said the same thing – that the difference was the class that City had which told in the end.”
[spoiler]Natalia Velez - Former girlfriend of Monaco striker Falcao
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Bayern Munich midfielder Toni Kroos, 24 is interested in a move to Manchester United and has discussed a potential transfer to the Premier League with his brother Felix, who plays for Werder Bremen. Daily Express
Inter Milan could bid for two Premier League strikers when the season ends. The Italian club want Manchester City's Edin Dzeko, 27, and 28-year-old Dani Osvaldo, who is on loan at Juventus from Southampton. Talkshit
Tottenham are closing in on a deal to bring Anderlecht midfielder Ismail Azzaoui, 16, to White Hart Lane. The teenager has already rejected a contract to stay with the Belgian club. Daily Star
Jermaine Jenas wants to commit his long-term future to Queens Park Rangers. The 31-year-old midfielder, who has played 21 times for England, is out of contract at the end of the season. London Evening Standard
Freiburg centre-back Matthias Ginter, 20, says he is honoured and excited to be linked with a summer move to Manchester United. Daily Star
Manchester United will loan defender Michael Keane, 21, to Blackburn as long as they promise to give him regular games. Sun
Spain international goalkeeper Iker Casillas, 32, wants to stay at Real Madrid until he is 40. Marca
Montpellier president Louis Nicollin says he will not be selling 23-year-old midfielder Remy Cabella to Newcastle. In January, the Magpies had a bid rejected for the player, who has represented France at under-21 level. Sky Sports
Manchester United want Paris Saint-Germain striker Edinson Cavani, 27, as well Matthias Ginter from Freiburg, and Bayern Munich's Toni Kroos. Bild
Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard has praised team-mate Luis Suarez and called the 27-year-old Uruguayan striker an "absolute genius". Daily Express
England manager Roy Hodgson has been hit by a security concern as opposing teams may be able to watch his side train at their base in Urca during this summer's World Cup in Brazil. Daily Mirror
Richard Bevan, chief executive of the League Managers' Association, has refused to defend Alan Pardew after the Newcastle boss headbutted Hull midfielder David Meyler. Pardew, 52, faces a Football Association disciplinary charge and Bevan called Pardew's actions "insupportable". Newcastle Chronicle
Arsenal's Tomas Rosicky will sign a new one-year contract with the Gunners by the end of the week. The 33-year-old Czech midfielder's current deal expires in the summer. Sky Sports
more bollox later
