• Premier League

Nasri sad about Mancini exit

Samir Nasri has said Manchester City are "a little disappointed" at ending the season empty-handed and declared himself "sad" about Roberto Mancini's sacking.

In and out of the City side before Christmas, Nasri, 25, has since played a more prominent role in the club's season, but could not help them retain their Premier League title, nor prevent a shock FA Cup final defeat to Wigan Athletic.

The France international acknowledged City's expensively-assembled squad had even failed to live up to their own expectations.

"I had a delicate start to the season. I've picked up in the last two to three months, and now I feel better," Nasri told RMC at a charity event in Bordeaux. "I've strung together some good performances. Unfortunately, there was the disappointment of the FA Cup final. We'll try to bounce back.

"We have to forget this season. We had great ambitions at the start of the campaign, and we're a little disappointed at the end."

The team's sorry group-stage exit in the Champions League and their failure to pick up any silverware, culminating in last weekend's surprise loss at Wembley, cost manager Mancini his job.

"He brought me to Manchester City. I don't want to speak about his departure because I don't know the ins and outs of the story. I don't know who's coming in so there's no point talking about it," Nasri said.

"I feel sad, but I'm professional and I know how football works. I was at Marseille and had four coaches in four seasons. Changing coaches is nothing new."

Nasri's improved late-season performances have raised questions about his continued exclusion from the France set-up. The former Arsenal man has not played for his country since being disciplined for insulting a journalist following Les Bleus' quarter-final exit to Spain at Euro 2012.

Didier Deschamps, 44, will announce his squad for France's summer friendlies in Uruguay and Brazil on Thursday afternoon. Whether he is included in the list or not, Nasri remains determined to eventually return to international football.

He said: "The France team has always been important for me. When you're a footballer and you've played for that team, the one who says he doesn't want to play for it again is a liar. We'll see. I hope I'll be in it, but it won't be the end of the world. I'll try to work next season to get back into the squad."

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