• Striker should have apologised immediately, says
Mancini
• Racism in football inquiry set to be launched
Wednesday, 11 January
2012
Time: 3:45 am - (Live) (Thur
Morning)
Mio Channel
112
Carling Cup Semi-Final
(1st Leg)
Speaking ahead of the first leg of City’s Carling Cup semi-final against
Liverpool on Wednesday,
Mancini also insisted the Uruguayan striker should have apologised
straight away to the Manchester United player after making a racist
comment to him back in October.. The Italian is the first manager
to argue that Liverpool's show of unity was misplaced during the
furore that surrounded the controversial verdict last month.
Uruguayan Suarez argued he did nothing wrong but an FA tribunal
found against him and banned him for eight games.
And Mancini said: "Sometimes it can happen on the pitch, a
situation like this.
"It is important to apologise for what you did. Sometimes on the
pitch you can do something you don't want to do, because you are
nervous, you don't think on the pitch.
"I don't think Suarez is a racist. I think he made a mistake,
probably, yes. Everyone can make a mistake sometimes, everyone. It
is impossible that we are always perfect.
"It's important to say 'I'm sorry, I made a mistake, I
apologise' and accept the charge."
Asked if he felt Liverpool's stance in wearing T-shirts in
support of Suarez was a mistake Mancini said: "Maybe."
City face Liverpool tonight in the Carling Cup semi-final first
leg just eight days after thumping them 3-0 at home in the league —
City's only win in the last four.
But Mancini was buoyed by his side's stirring fightback in
Sunday's FA Cup derby with United, as they hit back from 3-0 down
to 3-2 with 10 men.
Mancini said: "I am very proud because it is unusual to play
with 10 players against United and to score two goals and maybe to
score the third goal to equalise but for this I am very happy.
"For us, for the title, the second half against United was very
important.
"If we win the Carling Cup, it is another trophy for us. We are
not United, we are not Chelsea, we need to win everything. If we go
to the final, it will be very important for the rest of the
season.
"Maybe it is the last trophy because of the Premier League, the
FA Cup, but when you are there, you want to win."
Mancini has been complaining about injury problems of late but
there was positive news yesterday as both Mario Balotelli and Edin
Dzeko trained without problems.
David Silva, however, will be missing with an ankle problem and
Mancini is still concerned he could be left short in key areas.
With Vincent Kompany banned for four games after his
controversial red card against United and Yaya and Kolo Toure both
at the African Nations Cup, City are still short at a vital
time.
Mancini said: "Everyone thinks we have a lot of players but we
have 19 players.
"If we are unlucky that we have three or four players injured,
we can have a problem. But the club knows this.
"If we don't have a central defender we play with young players.
I can do nothing.
"I am not happy we have players injured, players at the African
Cup. I am not happy but it is normal, but we can do nothing. If I
don't have the players, we play with young players. This doesn't
change."
