Manchester City U-21 team halt game over alleged racism
Negredo facing 3 months out
LONDON, July 23, (Agencies): Manchester City’s under-21 team walked off the pitch during a friendly against Croatian side HNK Rijeka after one of their players was racially abused, the club has claimed.
“Manchester City’s EDS (elite development squad) U21 game with HNK Rijeka has today been cancelled due to an alleged incident of racial abuse toward the club’s young midfielder, Seko Fofana by a member of the opposing team,” read a statement published on the City website late on Tuesday.
“Club representatives in Croatia and in Manchester are liaising with officials, the match organisers and the Croatian Football Association to pursue this matter further.”
City’s officials told their players to leave the pitch shortly before half-time during the game in Novigrad, west Croatia.
Fofana, a 19-year-old Frenchman, had just been sent off for what City’s Twitter feed described as an “off-the-ball incident”.
HNK Rijeka, who were leading 10 when the match was abandoned, expressed surprise over City’s decision to abandon the game.
“Manchester City coach Patrick Vieira entered the field, discussed something with the referee, and then to the amazement of a well-filled stadium, took his team off the pitch,” youth-team coordinator Ranko Buketa told the club’s website. “The reasons are known only to him.”
Manchester City striker Alvaro Negredo will be out for up to three months after breaking a bone in his foot, manager Manuel Pellegrini has revealed.
“Alvaro had surgery today (Tuesday) on his broken foot and he will probably be out for two or three months,” Pellegrini said, in comments reported on the club website. “It is a blow for us because Alvaro is a very important member of our squad, so obviously we will miss him.”
Negredo, 28, fractured the fifth metatarsal bone in his right foot during City’s 2-1 win over Hearts in a friendly in Edinburgh on Friday.
He expressed fears about the extent of the injury on his Instagram account on Monday, writing: “I want to let you know that its going to be hard for the next few months, I fractured my 5th metatarsal and will be out a few months. I will be back stronger than ever. I will return with a vengeance.”
A three-month absence would rule him out of the first nine games of City’s Premier League title defence, as well as their first three Champions League group-phase fixtures.
Negredo signed from Sevilla last year for a fee of around £16 million ($27.3 million, 20.3 million euros).
The Spain international enjoyed a successful debut campaign at the Etihad Stadium, scoring 23 goals in 48 games in all competitions, although his form tailed off towards the end of the season.
City are currently on a pre-season tour of the United States and were due to play Sporting Kansas City in a friendly later on Wednesday.
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers says the team is moving on after Luis Suarez’ departure to Barcelona for a $130 million transfer fee.
“He gave everything for Liverpool,” Rodgers said Tuesday when asked if Suarez had let the club down. “Of course there have been issues, but they’re in the past. He was a brilliant player for us and for me. ... It’s a shame he’s not here. But Liverpool, as a club, is bigger than any one player.”
The Uruguay national scored 82 goals in 133 Liverpool appearances. But his three years in England were overshadowed by bans for racial abuse and biting. He was suspended for four months by FIFA for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini during the World Cup. Suarez cannot join his new team in Spain until after the suspension is over.
Rodgers also said that Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard’s retirement from the national team “brings an end to a great career.” But it might be beneficial to Liverpool.
“Liverpool means everything to him,” Rodgers said. “And there’s certainly no doubt missing out on international football means he will be fresher and at his optimum level as often as possible for us.”