Manchester City have informed the UEFA matchday delegate of their intention to complain about alleged racist abuse suffered by their players during the 2-1 Europa League victory over Porto, the club have confirmed.
Striker Mario Balotelli complained about being subjected to abuse first, with midfielder Yaya Toure backing up his claim, leading to City informing the delegate of their plans to complain.
Although manager Roberto Mancini did not hear the abuse, Balotelli has told a club official he heard abusive chanting during the game at the Estadio do Drago, which City won 2-1.
Reports circulated during the match that Balotelli and Toure were subjected to monkey noises.
But when asked about it, Mancini said: "I didn't hear this because I was concentrating on the game. I don't know if (it happened) to Mario and Yaya."
When asked if either player had mentioned it to him, he said: "No."
Toure, speaking to Sky Sports News, confirmed he had "heard something" from the stands.
"That's why we all like the Premier League, because it never happens there," he said. "Maybe in foreign countries they don't expect black players.
"I think in future it will be okay, they will change their minds and the game will become more open
"Football is football and the fans come to enjoy the game, and we don't want things like this to happen.
"Mario is now able to control things like this and that is very important for the club."
Balotelli told a club official he heard abusive chanting, leading to the complaint.
Otherwise, Mancini hailed his "fantastic" players after they came from behind to take the advantage after the first leg of the last-32 tie.
Sergio Aguero came off the bench to score the winner six minutes from time after an Alvaro Pereira own goal had cancelled out a Silvestre Varela strike.
Mancini said: "I think it was a good result because it is difficult to win here.
"I think we won this game because we played very well and didn't give more chances to score to them.
"I think the guys were fantastic."
Mancini was generally pleased with the performance of Balotelli, who had been playing his first game since serving a four-match domestic suspension for stamping on Tottenham's Scott Parker.
The City boss had spoken before the game of the importance of Balotelli remaining focused on the game ahead of a crucial period for the team.
He said: "I think Mario did very well, he played very well. He was calm and it is important he continues like this.
"I think this [provocation] can happen every game.
"For this reason I spoke with Mario before the game.
"I said, 'Mario think and play, think what you should do during the game. Forget other things.' I think only this is important."
REAL MADRID TARGET £30M DAVID SILVA
REAL MADRID will make a £30m offer for Manchester City midfielder David Silva.
The Spanish giants have been monitoring Silva's progress over the past 18 months.
The 26-year-old is one of City's best players this season and has been tipped for the PFA Player Of The Year.
Silva has become a firm favorite amongst City fans. Last month he dropped in on supporters at their local pub the Crown Inn and told them: City will win the Premier League title this season.
The Spanish World Cup and European Championships winner pulled no punches, insisting Roberto Mancini’s men in blue will snatch the title from 19-time champions Manchester United and Harry Redknapp’s in-form Spurs.
Winning the FA Cup last May has whetted the wing wizard’s appetite for more silverware and he said: “The Premier League is the achievement I’m looking for.
“Winning the title this year is what we have got to focus on – and nothing else.
“I am just concentrating on us winning the Premier League. We are all feeling the same at City, trying to go forward and perform.”
Silva, who plays on the international stage alongside Barcelona greats Xavi and Andres Iniesta, made the claim when he called at the Crown Inn at Bredbury, Stockport before heading 100 yards down the road to another City pub, the Lowes Arms, where he was a VIP at a fans’ forum. And he told the star-struck gathering that securing the title would be on a par with everything he has achieved representing his country.
He said: “It will be equally as good to win the Premier League title as it was the World Cup and the European Championships with my country.
It’s a great championship to win and for me it will be a fantastic feeling to achieve that.”
Despite wowing football fans with displays which have had pundits mentioning him in the same breath as triple Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi, Silva is focused on what he and his team-mates need to do.
The Gran Canaria-born wideman, who joined City in June 2010 for £24million from Valencia, laughs off comparisons with Messi.
His only interest is being himself – and being remembered as a winner with City.
And that means one thing, nothing less than a victory and three points over charging Spurs in today’s lunchtime clash.
Tributes to his ability have non-stop this season with City rebel Carlos Tevez summing up Silva as “the best signing Manchester City have ever made”.
But Silva, 26, is searching for honours instead of hero worship and added: “No, I don’t aim to be better than Messi.
“I aim to win more trophies with my team and to improve myself – not to be the equal of Messi.
“But I have changed a lot. When I came here I wasn’t physically 100 per cent but I feel a lot better now.
“It’s hard on you physically in England and it will be a tough game to win against Spurs. It’s difficult to say who are our bigger rivals, Spurs or United.
“They are both very close but we have to concentrate on our own game.
“People talk about City being under pressure but the pressure will be when we are behind in the table.
“At the moment we’re out in front and as long as we stay there the pressure will be on the other teams behind us.
“Everyone has their opinion about who is playing the best football in the Premier League but I feel City are playing well.
“I’m playing well, too, and all our ambitions here are high. We haven’t won the Premier League title but we’re now a bigger team achieving success.”
Tevez, fashion marketing genius?
In all recent photos of errant Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez – mainly from transatlantic airports and City's training ground – the Argentinian has sported different garish pieces from his fashion line, Tevez 32.
Tevez launched the line in his homeland last year during his well-publicised exile and it's currently available in 38 different stores around the country.
(Incidentally, the labels found on each item suggest that Tevez is popularly known as "el jugador del pueblo" – or "the player of the people". To which the only response must be, "Not the people of Levenshulme, pal.")
But if an expansion into the UK happens, has Tevez given the label the best soft-marketing push in the history of fashion? Shamelessly pushing his own clobber while being the most vilified player in British football takes some cojones – even for a player of Tevez's famed stubbornness.
Shots of him in tops featuring slogans such as Apache 32 and pictures of him celebrating have made the front and back pages of most UK papers – including this one – over the past few weeks, providing thousands of pounds of publicity for the fledgling label.
The player may be loathed across both halves of Manchester but Tevez 32 now has a huge brand awareness. Surely, he didn't refuse to warm up in Munich knowing the inevitable fallout would lead to him being photographed everywhere? Of course not. But if he had it would be a move worthy of even the smartest of marketing professionals.
United and City chase England starlet
Roberto Mancini and Sir Alex Ferguson are squaring up for a battle to sign Derby wonderkid Will Hughes.
Mancini's Manchester City and neighbours and title rivals Under-17 star, who was the talk of last week's Algarve Tournament in Portugal.
Midfielder Hughes was the star of the show as England triumphed ahead of rivals Holland, France and Portugal.
Manchester City defender Aleksandar Kolarov is a transfer target for Juventus, according to reports in Italy.
The Serbian full-back has started just six Premier League games so far this season, with summer arrival Gael Clichy the first-choice under Roberto Mancini.
And that has led to interest from around Europe, with the website Calciomercato reporting that Juventus have jumped to the head of the queue for his signature.
According to the report, the Serie A leaders would be willing to pay around £7.5m for the 26-year-old, whose contract runs until 2015. Talkshite
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[/spoiler]OTHER BOLLOX
Italian side Palermo have admitted they would consider making a shock bid for Liverpool striker Luis Suarez, who is reportedly unhappy with the way he has been treated in England following his eight-match ban for racially abusing Manchester United's Patrice Evra. Metro
Or maybe French club Paris Saint-Germain are the ones to offer Uruguayan Suarez an escape from the Premier League limelight. Daily Mirror
Manchester United are believed to have approached Borussia Dortmund regarding 19-year-old midfielder Mario Goetze, according to the player's agent. Talkshite
Chelsea insist goalkeeper Petr Cech and striker Daniel Sturridge are part of their long-term plans and will not be leaving Stamford Bridge. London Evening Standard
Tottenham are locked in a battle with Inter Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus to clinch the signing of 22-year-old Brazilian striker Leandro Damiao. Talkshite
Midfielder Junior Hoilett, 21, is attracting interest from Italy as he nears the end of his Blackburn contract - but Rovers boss Steve Kean has not given up on the Canadian remaining at Ewood Park. Lancashire Telegraph
England and Arsenal winger Theo Walcott could be shown the exit door at the Emirates Stadium. Daily Mail
Theo Walcott could be on his way out of the Emirates
Steve Bruce will meet Wolves' owner Steve Morgan and chief executive Jez Moxey in London on Friday to discuss succeeding the sacked Mick McCarthy as manager. Daily Mirror
Sunderland defender Phil Bardsley has admitted the pitch at the Stadium of Light is in poor shape ahead of this Saturday's FA Cup tie against Arsenal. Sunderland Echo
Bolton midfielder Fabrice Muamba believes current England caretaker boss Stuart Pearce should get the nod ahead of Tottenham's Harry Redknapp as national team manager. Bolton News
Fulham are believed to be watching Ghana defender Isaac Vorsah, 23, of Hoffenheim. Daily Mail
A picture purporting to show the new Arsenal, Barcelona and Manchester United home kits for the 2012-13 season has been leaked - and then widely ridiculed - on Twitter. Metro
Barcelona are looking at ways of raising cash to fund a massive summer bid for Tottenham's £50m-rated winger Gareth Bale, 22. Daily Express
Barca are not prepared to pay more than £35m and Bale wants to stay at Spurs rather than make the move. Daily Mirror
Chelsea are believed to be lining up a £50m swoop for 25-year-old Atletico Madrid striker Falcao. Daily Star
Liverpool are keen on Barcelona's Seydou Keita. The £2m-rated midfielder, 32, currently playing for Mali in the African Nations Cup, has been frozen out at the Nou Camp. the Sun
Bolton manager Owen Coyle is believed to have issued a "come and get them" invitation to Championship clubs for some of their out-of-favour stars. Bolton News
Hamburg hope to tempt 22-year-old midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson back to Germany when his loan deal at Swansea expires at the end of the season. talkSHITE
Former Blackburn captain Garry Flitcroft insists Rovers must resolve their differences with wantaway defender Chris Samba, 27, immediately or face a daunting task in avoiding Premier League relegation. Lancashire Telegraph
Several top clubs are already lining up to sign Blackburn's highly-rated 21-year-old striker Junior Hoilett, who could leave the club for a bargain price when his contract expires in the summer. Metro
Striker Dimitar Berbatov, 31, expects to remain at Manchester United beyond this season but has reiterated his disenchantment at his lack of playing time at Old Trafford. Manchester Evening News
Arsenal striker Andrey Arshavin, 30, is holding on for a summer move back to former club Zenit St Petersburg rather than move to Anzhi Makhachkala over the next three weeks while the Russian transfer window remains open. Daily Mirror
Anderlecht's 26-year-old striker Dieumerci Mbokani is being targeted by Liverpool. The 26-year-old's agent has also admitted that his client is being scouted by English clubs and could move abroad. Inside Futbol
Jose Mourinho will not leave Real Madrid at the end of the season, according to midfielder Jose Callejon, 24. talkSHITE
Chelsea manager Roman Abramovich will oversee training at Cobham on a regular basis, piling more pressure on boss Andre Villas-Boas, after the cost of removing Carlo Ancelotti was estimated at £28m. Daily Mail
Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish is hoping to convince 25-year-old striker Gabriel Agbonlahor about the benefits of yoga - using Ryan Giggs as the prime example. Birmingham Mail
West Ham midfielder Ravel Morrison, 19, looks set to be hauled in front of senior Hammers staff to explain comments he made on Twitter. Daily Mail
Former Norwich City winger Adrian Forbes, 33, believes the Canaries have bagged themselves a bargain in the form of transfer deadline day signing Ryan Bennett. Eastern Daily Press
Everton fan group 'Trust Everton' has launched a plan to buy the club's £15m Finch Farm training ground. Liverpool Echo
Blackburn are believed to have have cancelled a visit from the Indian national team due to fresh fears over the future of boss Steve Kean. Daily Star
French winger Sylvain Marveaux, 25, has admitted his season could already be over with Newcastle. Newcastle Chronicle
Swansea's 29-year-old midfielder Ferrie Bodde faces a fight to save his career after news that he has suffered a third cruciate ligament injury which will rule him out until next season. South Wales Evening Post
The Brazilian club Corinthians are keeping their striker Adriano "detained" inside the team's hotel in an effort to force him to lose weight. Guardian
Manager Alex McLeish has urged French winger Charles N'Zogbia, 25, to do his talking on the pitch for Aston Villa rather than on Twitter. Express & Star
The now world famous 'Anfield cat' may have found a home after a former Liverpool steward came forward claiming he was a local stray - and he's named after manager Kenny Dalglish. Metro
more B*ll*x later ...
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