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Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini: 'I will play a strong team against Porto'
The Italian has admitted that the Europa League is an important trophy that he wants to win and says he has no plans to field a weakened line up in Portugal next week
12 Feb 2012 16:42:00
By Alex Meyers
Getty Images
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini says that he will play a strong side in next week’s Europa League clash against Porto.
Having crashed out of the Champions League at the group stages, City were drawn against a Porto side who won this trophy last season.
The Blues are currently in a fierce battle for the Premier League title with neighbours and rivals Manchester United but Mancini has underlined the significance of his side winning a European trophy.
"I will play a strong team against Porto," he told the Sunday Mirror. "We want to win the Europa League because it is an important trophy.
"We have no game next week so we can concentrate fully on a good performance.
"It will be difficult to go through because Porto are a top team, but we want to do the best we can in this competition.
"We were disappointed not to do well in the Champions League, but it was a difficult group and we were unlucky to go out with 10 points.
"Now our concentration is on the Europa. It is a long time since Manchester City won a trophy in Europe.
“Last season we won the FA Cup after a long time and winning a European trophy would be a big step for the club."
Mancini also revealed that he is hopeful Yaya and Kolo Toure will be available to face Porto following the end of the Africa Cup of Nations.
The brothers are preparing for Ivory Coast’s final against Zambia on Sunday evening and they will be flown back to Manchester by private jet immediately after.
"I spoke to Yaya this week and he is tired because of the number of games he has played for Ivory Coast," Mancini revealed.
"But he is an important player for us and hopefully he can recover after winning the African Nations and be ready for Thursday.”
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Having crashed out of the Champions League at the group stages, City were drawn against a Porto side who won this trophy last season.
The Blues are currently in a fierce battle for the Premier League title with neighbours and rivals Manchester United but Mancini has underlined the significance of his side winning a European trophy.
"I will play a strong team against Porto," he told the Sunday Mirror. "We want to win the Europa League because it is an important trophy.
"We have no game next week so we can concentrate fully on a good performance.
"It will be difficult to go through because Porto are a top team, but we want to do the best we can in this competition.
"We were disappointed not to do well in the Champions League, but it was a difficult group and we were unlucky to go out with 10 points.
"Now our concentration is on the Europa. It is a long time since Manchester City won a trophy in Europe.
“Last season we won the FA Cup after a long time and winning a European trophy would be a big step for the club."
Mancini also revealed that he is hopeful Yaya and Kolo Toure will be available to face Porto following the end of the Africa Cup of Nations.
The brothers are preparing for Ivory Coast’s final against Zambia on Sunday evening and they will be flown back to Manchester by private jet immediately after.
"I spoke to Yaya this week and he is tired because of the number of games he has played for Ivory Coast," Mancini revealed.
"But he is an important player for us and hopefully he can recover after winning the African Nations and be ready for Thursday.”
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| Open an account with Sportingbet today and get up to £50 in free bets! |
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| Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25 |
|
| Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200 |
|
| Sign up with Paddy Power - Bet £10, Get £20! |
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