‘Napoli deserved a point’ admits http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Roberto-c31294 Mancini: UEFA Champions League news
Manchester City manager, Roberto http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Napoli-c40003 deserved a point against his team.
City drew 1-1 in their opening group stage game of the UEFA Champions League against the Azzurri at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester on Wednesday, September 14th, 2011. The hosts came from behind to snatch a point as Edinson
Cavani had put Napoli front in the 69th minute.
Mancini believes that the 1-1 result was a fair indicator of how things went for both sides. The Italian believes that after dominating in the first 45 minutes, his team lost its way towards the start of the second half.
The former http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Inter-c39567 Milan manager praised the Partenopei side and admitted that he knew that they could hurt them on the counter attack.
Talking to the reporters Mancini said, “I think the result was fair, as we played well in the first half, even if we always wanted that extra touch and hesitated. After the break for about 10 minutes we lost our shape and Napoli
managed to score. We knew they could be dangerous on the break and left too much space, but Napoli are a quality side.”
The 46-year-old defended his selection for the game and believes that he had to rest some of his star players. Mancini also praised the goal-scorer, Aleksandr Kolarov, and revealed that he was about to substitute him minutes before
he scored an amazing goal.
“We have many players and cannot always use the same ones. Aleksandr Kolarov rested on Sunday and I was about to replace him, as he has broken his nose, but he scored that great goal."
The former Italian international is satisfied with his team’s overall performance given that it was their first game in the competition’s history.
Other Group A giants, Bayern Munich began their campaign with a 2-0 away win over Villarreal. City will play their next Champions League game away to Bayern Munich on September 27th, 2011, while Napoli will host Villarreal the
same day.
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