wednesday (Wensdi) gossip

Wed 09 Nov 2011, 8:39AM
Posted by Peter Ferguson

Maybe they ambush him at the airport. Even when he takes a break back home in international week, Roberto Mancini finds himself at the business end of a microphone.


Robbie is big news in Italy, of course - City lead the Barclays Premier League by five points and his compatriots welcome any good news they can get at the moment.

And if Mancini is big news, which other Italian Blue might be pushing him all the way? So get one of them talking about the other and bingo, you've got a story for the next bulletin.

Bobby and Balo! It's not just over there that they're excited either. Tribalfootball.com are so keen, they're running two tales, both gleaned, we suspect, from the same interview.

They reveal that "Roberto Mancini admits Mario Balotelli expects to score every time he's on the pitch.

"Balotelli has banged in five Premier League goals to help City open a five-point gap at the top.



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Yet four of his seven league appearances this season have been as a sub





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They quote Roberto: "Whenever I put him on in games he hits the ground running immediately.

"After the game against QPR, he moaned to me, 'I didn't get a goal!' But I told him his goal is to help the team in a difficult moment — and he'd achieved it."

And here's Roberto from the other one: "I hope for Mario the day when he changes mentality comes soon. That is the day he will be one of the three best players in the world along with Messi and Cristiano (Ronaldo)."

Short but sweet, eh?

Not such good news coming from the French camp though. The Mail reports: "Samir Nasri has withdrawn from the France squad for two internationals after being diagnosed with tendinitis in his knee.

"The former Arsenal midfielder is expected to return to England for treatment but what will worry City fans is the revelation that it is a long-term problem.

"Nasri told French television: 'I have a problem in my knee since the Villarreal match. It's an old issue which is resurfacing.'"

So, an injury blow before the international brigade has even kicked a ball in anger. Fingers crossed now, Roberto.