Manchester: Roberto Mancini has responded to Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson’s criticism of Manchester City’s “kamikaze spending” this summer. The move for Aston Villa and England midfielder James Milner took the total amount spent this summer to £130 million.
Mancini believes that the complaints that Ferguson made about City’s spending were hypocritical because United have splashed big money of stars in the past.
“All the other teams [like United] spent a lot of money in the past,” Mancini told The Mirror.
“And I don’t mean 10 or 15 years ago, but in the last one, two or three years.
“It’s normal when you want to buy a good player that you have to spend, as this is the market.
“It’s not important for me [what Fergie says]. I respect his opinion, but I repeat that United, like Manchester City, have spent a lot of money in the past.”
City’s ambitions lie much further than winning the Europa League, but Mancini insists that the tournament is a critical test for his team as they look to make the step up to playing in the Champions League next season.
“This competition is important for me, for the players and the supporters.
“We know it will be difficult to get through this tie, but this is a big competition for the club. I don’t know if we’re favourites. In the first game it’s always difficult.
“Timisoara have already played two Europa League games and four games in their league, but we have only played one game in the Premier League.
“We’re involved in four competitions and it’s important we try to win every game we play. We can’t think we can play well in one competition and not in another. We can’t do that if we want to change our mentality.”
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