Mancini refutes Tevez claims

Published: 15 Feb 2012 - 19:17:01

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Roberto Mancini has dismissed Carlos Tevez's claims that he was "treated like a dog" by the Manchester City manager.

Tevez returned to Manchester on Tuesday, ending a self-imposed three-month exile in Argentina after he was found guilty by the club of refusing to warm-up during City's Champions League match against Bayern Munich in September. He arrived back in England after giving a lengthy interview on Argentinian television hitting out at his treatment by Mancini.

Speaking ahead of City's Europa League clash with Porto on Thursday night, Mancini was keen to focus on the match ahead but did address Tevez's comments. He said: "I totally disagree with Carlos, what he said, because I never treated him badly."

He added: "Maybe the opposite, I treated him too well, always."

"I answer this question and then no more, because we have this game.

"It is an important game against a top club like Porto."

Tevez is not with the City team in Portugal as he begins a training regime designed to get him back up to match fitness. He has not been registered in City's European squad.