Roberto Mancini quoted Manchester City fans Oasis as he urged his players to keep their heads in tonight's potenially explosive showdown with the enemy.
Suave Mancini is an unlikely Oasis fan, with his sharp tailoring and coiffuered hair, but the City boss name-checked one of Noel and Liam Gallagher's songs in his plea for calm.
"Don't look back in anger," said a smiling Mancini when asked for his message to players and fans. "It's fantastic - Oasis. It's important everyone is calm and realises it's only a game.
"It's an important game, of course, but it's only a football match. We want to win at Old Trafford and we have a chance. But we must concentrate.
"If we don't stay calm, we could have a problem. It's important we think about the game, about our tactics.
"We must keep our concentration. If we can stay calm, we'll play better and have a better chance of winning.
"I don't think there will be any problems off the pitch, but the same message is important. The fans must go to Old Trafford and just watch the game."
Security will be stepped up around Old Trafford for tonight's clash, with fears there could be a repeat of the trouble on and off the pitch which marred the first leg.
The on-field spat between Carlos Tevez and Gary Neville was compounded by the shocking revelation police confiscated darts and golf balls smuggled into Eastlands by fans.
The stakes could not be higher for tonight's game, as City aim to reach their first final for 29 years, while United aim to prolong their local rivals' 34-year wait for a trophy.
Yet Mancini, 45, exuded coolness ahead what promises to be a fervent night at the Theatre of Dreams and challenged his City players to "change the history" of their club.
"We want to be in the final," said Mancini. "Okay, it's a derby, but we have a big chance to be in a final and that's the most important thing for us.
"I know derbies are important, whether it's Manchester, London, Rome or Milan. It's extra special for us because we have the chance to go to Wembley.
"Our players will have passion and will be very excited, because they have a chance to change the history of the club, which is the most important thing.
"We must change that history. After many years without a trophy we want to be able to change that situation.
"We have a chance to get to the top, to be one of the top five or six clubs in the world, but for this to happen we must work hard. We can't make mistakes."
Having enjoyed a glittering plying career and won three Serie A titles as a manager with Inter Milan, super-cool Mancini said he will not feel any pressure at Old Trafford.
"During games I'm excited, but I concentrate on the pitch," said Mancini. "If I want to change tactics during a game or change a situation it's important I stay calm.
"I played in many derbies in my life. When I was young, maybe I got more excited. And even after many years, it's still stressful, the situation doesn't change.
"I have a lot of respect for Alex Ferguson and United, but I know we're a good club and have a good chance of winning at Old Trafford."
City will be boosted by the return of Emmanuel Adebayor, back from compassionate leave following the shooting of the Togo team bus at the African Cup of Nations.
Adebayor, who has not played for five weeks, will start on the bench, but captain Kolo Toure, who only returned from the tournament last night, is set to start.
No comments:
Post a Comment