Euro exit won’t cost me job, says Mancini
MANCHESTER CITY 1 vs REAL MADRID 1
MANCHESTER City manager Roberto Mancini does not fear the sack despite his side crashing out of the Champions League in the group stages last night for a second successive season.
Sergio Aguero’s second-half penalty cancelled out Karim Benzema’s early tap-in but a draw was not enough for City.
“I don’t have fear for this,” said Mancini when asked about his job security. “If we think we can win a Champions League after two years then we are crazy.”
The Italian blamed elimination on earlier slip-ups in matches at Real and Ajax.
“We didn’t lose it tonight, we lost in the first few games,” he added. “In Madrid we were 2-1 up with five minutes to go; in Amsterdam we were 1-0 ahead and missed chances to close the game.”
Mancini was punished for deploying a three-man defence as Real had multiple chances to kill off the game in the opening half.
Aguero was guilty of wasting great opportunities, particularly at point blank range firing straight at Iker Casillas.
Aguero redeemed himself on 73 minutes from the spot after Alvaro Arbeloa was perhaps harshly sent off. The hosts poured forward but could not find the crucial winner.