Monday Gossip

Mon 05 Sep 2011, 7:58AM
Posted by David Clayton

Carlos Tevez is featured in most of today’s media portals, claiming he needs to shed one of two pounds to get back to his best.


The FA Cup-winning skipper has had a troubled summer in many ways, with failure to clarify his future at City and a poor Copa America with Argentina.

Hardly surprising that events on and off the pitch eventually took its toll on the Blues’ talisman. In Jack Pitt-Brooke’s feature in The Independent, Tevez paints a dark picture of the past few months.

‘I'm not the **** that they say I am,’ Carlos is quoted as saying. “I had a personal crisis this summer and I put on five or six kilos and had to check myself into a clinic. I was depressed and so I ate and ate. Only my family and my friends know this."

Pitt-Brooke adds: “Tevez is yet to regain full fitness this season, and has made just one 22-minute substitute appearance in the 3-2 win at Bolton on 21 August. While he is City's top scorer for the past two seasons, Tevez has found himself outside of the team, Edin Dzeko and Sergio Aguero, both signed this year, have scored nine of City's 12 Premier League goals so far between them.

"Tevez had a poor Copa America, starting Argentina's first two games, but after failing to score, was dropped. He came on as a substitute in the quarter-final against Uruguay, but he missed the only penalty in the 5-4 shoot-out defeat.”

With Tevez’s immediate future clarified and hope he will settle with his family in the city, expect a revitalised No.32 coming to a pitch near you soon.

Though there are other stories concerning City elsewhere, but bbc.co.uk report one injury concern for Roberto Mancini from the numerous Blues on international duty.

They write: “Darren Bent and Micah Richards have been ruled out of England's Euro 2012 qualifier against Wales on Tuesday because of injuries.

Bent had not been able to train in the build-up to Friday's win over Bulgaria after picking up a groin problem.

Manchester City defender Richards is believed to have a hamstring problem.”