CITY BOSS: THIS IS
Demeaning of the FA Cup as Pellegrini says Chelsea tie is ‘not worth a ticket’
MANUEL PELLEGRINI has warned fans that he does not consider today’s trip to Chelsea ‘a real game’, with the Manchester City manager set to make wholesale changes for the FA Cup fifth-round tie.
The Chilean argues that he has been forced to leave a collection of star players at home because of fixture congestion made worse by the television broadcasters.
Pellegrini is likely to field up to five of the Under-21 squad — including Bersant Celina and Manu Garcia — in his starting line-up at Stamford Bridge, instead prioritising the Champions League trip to Ukraine in midweek. City then face Liverpool at Wembley a week today y in the Capital One Cup Final.
City feel they are not able to offer the FA Cup the respect it t deserves. According to Pellegrini, English football’s governing body are damaging their own flagship competition by not bringing this particular fixture forward.
‘I think it’s not a real game, , of course; not enough to payay the ticket,’ he said. ‘I always ays give a lot of importance to the cups. They must think why [City are playing a second string].
‘We always try to play a strong team in the cups, and it would be very nice to finish with a game at Wembley, but there are some moments when you have to prioritise because you don’t receive any help and you could damage your prospects.
‘The fans want to see a good game but we told them one week ago that we are going to play a young team. If the people want to continue going to the stadium, that’s for them.’
After meeting Guus Hiddink’s Chelsea, City fly out tomorrow afternoon to prepare for Wednesday’s last-16 first leg against Dynamo Kiev. City had played strong teams in both previous FA Cup rounds, producing thumping wins at Norwich and Aston Villa.
But their manager thinks it is out of the question for English clubs to be able to challenge on so many fronts and called for a change of approach at the FA. In Italy, Juventus had this weekend’s Serie A match against Bologna brought forward to Friday night to offer ample preparation for their meeting with Bayern Munich on Tuesday.
Pellegrini added: ‘I have enough problems trying to manage a team, without managing the FA. But the reality is that we must make some changes. Maybe without replays can b be one solution. So Someone said we mus must eliminate one cup cup, bu but I think the cups are good. All the stadiums are at full capacity, even if it is a League Two team.
‘So I think fans like the football. I think we should continue with the FA Cup because it is very traditional, but we must make some (better) arrangements.’
Despite a favourable Champions League draw — City have been knocked out by Barcelona in both of the past two seasons — Pellegrini refuses to take Dynamo Kiev lightly. He has watched them this week and will field a full-strength side in Ukraine, despite fitness issues.
‘We aren’t thinking it will be easy,’ he said. ‘I always put up the example of Malaga. Everyone wanted to play them because they thought it would be easy, but we eliminated some good teams.’
City enter this tough week without Kevin De Bruyne, who is still looking at an April return after tearing knee ligaments late in last month’s Capital One Cup semi-final against Everton. ‘After a month he can start to work and maybe we can squeeze the time,’ added Pellegrini. ‘At the moment we think one month to recover and then one month or six weeks to work.’
As for today’s game, Pellegrini will hand whizzkid Celina, 19, his full debut. Celina is highly rated at the Etihad Stadium and talks over a new five-year deal for the attacking midfielder are under way.
Indeed, a host of clubs, Celtic included, showed firm interest in taking Celina on loan last month. But while fellow starlet Patrick Roberts was allowed to leave for Parkhead, Pellegrini blocked all moves for Celina, believing the teenager can play a role for his side at the business end of this demanding season.
The City boss has stayed true to his word, Celina making three substitute appearances since the turn of the year. The youngster backed up his manager’s confidence a fortnight ago, setting up Sergio Aguero’s late consolation goal in the 3-1 home defeat to Leicester City.
Arriving from Stromsgodset at 15, Celina signed his first professional deal two years later, starring for Patrick Vieira’s development side and catching Pellegrini’s eye in the process. It hasn’t always been plain sailing, however.
Celina and his family escaped wartorn Kosovo when he was just two, moving to Drammen in Norway.
Thoughts of home were never too far away, though, and he made his debut for Kosovo at the age of 17.
He is, however, at the centre of an international tug of war, with Norway also keen on securing Celina’s long-term future at international level.
He has made once appearance for Norway’s Under-21s but is leaning towards a future with Kosovo.