Roberto Mancini has accused Mario Balotelli of stupidity in picking up a red card that cost Manchester City their Europa League place.
Roberto Mancini has accused Mario Balotelli of stupidity in picking up a red card that cost Manchester City their Europa League place.
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Two goals down from the first leg of their last-16 meeting with Dynamo Kiev, City were left to play for almost an hour with 10 men after Balotelli had been sent off for planting his studs into Goran Popov's chest and thigh.
Although the Blues did pull one back through Aleksandar Kolarov before the break, a second goal that would have forced the encounter into extra-time eluded them, leaving Mancini a frustrated man at the final whistle.
"If it stays 11 versus 11, we would have probably scored two or three goals," he claimed.
"I didn't see the foul properly but I am very disappointed because in a game like this it is very difficult if you pick up a red card, and you can pick up a red card for doing something stupid.
"The problem for Mario is that he thinks he could be a fantastic player. But when he does something stupid like that, it is difficult for me, difficult for him and difficult for the team."
Although Balotelli's suspension will not kick in until next year, Mancini must wonder how long he can maintain any trust in the 20-year-old, who for all his exceptional ability is at times an acute liability.
It certainly seems the City boss has reservations about including him in Sunday's crucial Premier League encounter with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
"I don't think he will be in the squad," he said.
Not that Balotelli was the only subject for Mancini to grumble about.
The City boss was incensed by Dynamo's time-wasting tactics.
"Every time they dived and every time the referee saw it," he said.
"But that is what happens. That is it."
Mancini's complaints were met with a sharp rebuttal from Dynamo coach Yuri Semin.
"It is part of football," he shrugged.
"There were some quite serious clashes. It was a tough game out there. That is why the referee gave quite a few yellow cards."
If there is one piece of good news for City it is that the relentless slog of two games a week that they have been ploughing through for most of the season has now come to an end.
It also means they will have a free week ahead of them before the FA Cup semi-final with Manchester United in the middle of next month when their opponents are engaged in a Champions League quarter-final.
That does seem minor consolation in the wake of Balotelli's madness though.
"It was going to be difficult for us anyway with 11 players," continued Mancini.
"We played very well and stopped them from creating any chances but with 10 players it was very hard."
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