Roberto Mancini believes that Carlos Tevez still has an important part to play in Manchester City’s future, this season and beyond, after he helped the club into the FA Cup semi-finals.
Tevez scored a hat-trick – the fifth of his City career – and had a hand in two other goals as his side beat Championship club Barnsley in the quarter-finals to reach the Wembley semi-finals next month.
The Argentinian forward was arrested by Cheshire Police on Thursday on suspicion of driving while disqualified, an offence which carries with it a maximum prison sentence of six months.
But Tevez clearly did not let his off-field troubles affect his football as he showed how important he can be for Mancini’s hopes of following last season’s Premier League title with another trophy.
“It is important that Carlo continues to score because we need his goals between now and the end of the season, for the league and also for the cup,” said Mancini, who led City to FA Cup success in 2011.
“Afterwards, we don’t know what will happen in the summer. Carlo has another year’s contract and it depends on him. At this moment we can say nothing, our focus should be on the last two months.
“It depends on him. He has said many times he wants to go back to Argentina so it depends on him. But now, we don’t need to think about this situation.”