Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini believes defending the Premier League trophy will be harder than clinching the club’s first title in 44 years.
City ended their long wait to be crowned kings of English soccer in the dying seconds of last season with two goals in stoppage-time to beat Queens Park Rangers 3-2 and pip bitter rivals Manchester United on goal difference.
However, United now have key defender Nemanja Vidic back to fitness after missing half of last season and have also beaten City in the race to sign Dutch striker Robin van Persie from Arsenal.
Photo: AFP
Van Persie was a long-time target for Mancini only for United boss Sir Alex Ferguson to clinch the £24 million (US$37.6 million) deal this week.
With Chelsea also splashing the cash in a bid to close the gap on City, Mancini, whose side begin their title defense against promoted Southampton at Eastlands tonight, is under no illusions about the size of the task facing his team.
“It will be even harder than last year. United have played for the title every year for 20 years. Just because we won the championship last time, we can’t change that,” he said. “Van Persie is one of the best strikers in the world — he is a really top player, the best striker last year. With Wayne Rooney, they will be the best strikers in the Premier League.”
“They signed him because they needed another striker. They are better with Van Persie. We have four strikers, it was impossible for me to have another one,” Mancini added. “When you are champions everyone wants to beat you, starting with Southampton. For this reason it will be a difficult game.”
However, the City manager said: “But I enjoy it, because to compete with Manchester United, with Arsenal, with Chelsea, is fantastic. To win the championship last year I think was an incredible achievement for us.”
Mancini has so far signed one player since the end of last season, paying £12 million for Everton midfielder Jack Rodwell, who was on the substitutes’ bench for England’s 2-1 friendly win over Italy in midweek.
Rodwell, once a target for United among others, struggled to fulfill his potential at Everton, but the 22-year-old is relishing the chance to compete for major honors with City.
“It’s a great opportunity, I’m still young and I’ll be with great players I can learn from, so it’s the perfect chance for me,” he said. “It’s going to be a challenge, but that’s why I came. I’m here to challenge myself mentally and technically, to push myself and improve. I believe in my ability.”
“There are amazing players here, I know a few from the England set-up. There’s a great manager and a great squad. Training with them every day will certainly improve me,” Rodwell added.
After the frustration of missing out on van Persie, Mancini would like to sign another senior player and continues to be linked with AS Roma midfielder Daniele de Rossi.
He said: “It’s important to start with one [signing]. Now we have a game and we have 10 days to the end of the transfer market.”
City face Southampton without England full-back Micah Richards, who injured an ankle while on Olympic duty.
Mancini expects him to be out for at least three weeks, while England goalkeeper Joe Hart is also a likely absentee.
Hart will have a late fitness test on a back injury, but Romanian Costel Pantilimon stands by to continue after playing in the 3-2 Community Shield victory over Chelsea last weekend.
England midfielder Gareth Barry, recovering from an abdominal injury, also misses the opener.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two