• Premier League

Maradona slams City over Tevez

ESPNsoccernet staff
October 27, 2011
Diego Maradona: 'The worst thing to do to a player is to stop him playing football' © PA Photos
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Argentina legend Diego Maradona has been unimpressed with Manchester City's handling of Carlos Tevez and says it "hurts" him to watch his compatriot miss out on playing.

Tevez has been ostracised at Eastlands for allegedly refusing to come on as a substitute in City's Champions League group game against Bayern Munich earlier this month, with the Premier League leaders initially issuing a suspension before deciding to fine him four weeks' wages after an internal inquiry.

The former Manchester United striker has not played for City since the incident at the Allianz Arena, after which manager Roberto Mancini claimed "he can never play for me again".

It appears Tevez will now be left to train alone until January, when City will listen to offers for the fallen Eastlands idol, who was the Premier League's joint-top scorer last season and has a contract until 2014.

The idea of Tevez being prevented from playing by Mancini is one that Al Wasl manager Maradona is hugely uncomfortable with, and the 1986 World Cup winner insists he has nothing but sympathy for a player who he coached for two years with the Argentina national team.

"It hurts me to see it happen as a player and a human being," Maradona told Sport 360. "If they want to give him a financial penalty then fine, but don't stop him from playing his football. The worst thing to do to a player is to stop him from playing football."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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