FA PREMIER LEAGUE:CARLOS TEVEZ has extended his absence from Manchester City by at least three more days after informing the club he had been advised not to fly from Argentina to England while suffering from a thigh injury.
Tevez had been due to fly back yesterday after being given dispensation to spend four days with his family in Buenos Aires because of what City manager Roberto Mancini has described as “personal problems”.
Instead, Tevez contacted Mancini to explain that the doctors treating him thought he should remain under their care rather than board a 10-hour flight to undergo rehabilitation work with City’s medical staff.
Mancini had told reporters on Friday he was not concerned about the effect of two long flights on his leading scorer, but the Italian agreed to the request and Tevez is not expected back until Thursday at the earliest, with his participation in the game at West Bromwich Albion on Sunday in doubt and concerns also about whether he will play against Manchester United next Wednesday.
Tevez has scored seven times this season but the player’s state of mind – described as homesick – has become an issue for Mancini during a difficult period for the former Internazionale manager.
The 2-1 defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers last Saturday was followed by more allegations of player unrest, though Mancini described as “rubbish” reports that he was facing a dressing-room revolt.
Mancini criticised some of his players last week for their drinking habits, and Gareth Barry has apologised for his role in a night out in St Andrews last week. Together with Joe Hart, Shay Given and Adam Johnson, Barry ended up at a student’s house party, with video footage subsequently sold to the Sun.
“I regret that, it was naive of me. It shouldn’t have happened,” Barry said. “I have apologised to the manager; we were in the wrong.”
Newcastle have insisted the club is not for sale following a report that former chairman Freddy Shepherd is considering making a bid to buy it back.
It was claimed that Shepherd, who sold his holding in the Magpies to Mike Ashley in 2007 after the Hall family had done the same, is ready to return.
Newcastle issued a statement confirming the club is not for sale, and that there has been no contact from Shepherd.
The statement said: “There has been unfounded speculation today suggesting that Freddy Shepherd intends to put a consortium together in a bid to buy Newcastle United FC from its owner, Mike Ashley.
“The club can confirm that it has not received any contact from Freddy Shepherd expressing an interest in buying the club, nor is the club for sale.”
The Shepherd camp too moved quickly to play down the suggestion. Ashley has put the club up for sale twice since he completed his €160 million take-over.
Olympic-winning coach Sergio Batista was poised last night to succeed Diego Maradona and lead Argentina to the 2014 World Cup.
Batista has been interim coach since Maradona was refused a new contract. The 47-year-old, a team mate of Maradona’s in Argentina’s 1986 World Cup-winning side, was interviewed by an Argentine Football Association selection committee yesterday and is expected to be officially installed today.
Guardian Service
