Friday 13 March 2015 19:36, UK
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has denied that there are rifts among his team, following reports of a dressing room bust-up at Anfield
Captain Vincent Kompany was allegedly involved in a confrontation with midfielder Fernandinho at half-time during a 2-1 loss to Liverpool on 1 March.
However, Pellegrini says he thinks the reaction to the incident has been out of all proportion to its magnitude.
"It was a normal thing, nothing important,” he said. “I don't think it is important to talk about a thing that happened 20 days ago. There are not any problems.
"It is normal in one game that there can be a discussion between two playersbut it was not important for the team. They did not have any problem and, inside the dressing room, we don't have any problems.
"I don't worry about what newspapers want to say about different things.
"I manage the squad in one way, I don't have any problems with the players. There are no problems inside the dressing room, so it doesn't matter what newspapers want to tell."
It was not important for the team. They did not have any problem and, inside the dressing room, we don't have any problems.
Pellegrini himself is believed to be under pressure, with City in danger of Champions League elimination (they lost the first leg of their Champions League 2-1 at home to Barcelona) and struggling to keep tabs on Chelsea in the title race.
And his agent suggested during the week that Napoli could be an option for his client if he is fired by City.
However, Pellegrini is adamant that he wants to see out his current contract and would be open to signing an extension.
“My future is very easy,” he said. “I have a contract here until June of 2016 and I will finish my contract. And, if I can extend my contract, I will extend it.
“When I sign a contract, I always try to finish in the amount of years I sign at the beginning.
“If you are not happy, maybe you try and finish the contract before. But I am very happy, I don’t have any problems. I will continue here until the end of my contract.”
I have a contract here until June of 2016 and I will finish my contract. And, if I can extend my contract, I will extend it.
City’s title rivals Chelsea find themselves out of the Champions League after losing on away goals to Paris Saint-Germain in midweek but Pellegrini does not think that will necessarily put them under greater pressure in the Premier League.
“I don’t know what impact it will have on the title race,” he said. “Not only Chelsea but for all teams it is important to be involved in the last stages of the Champions League.
“When, for different reasons, you cannot continue, it is important to see what happens in domestic games.
“I think the pressure (in the title race) is the same whether you are in the Champions League or out.
“For me, being in the Champions League or not, I feel the same necessary desire to win the title, because I always want to win.”
Meanwhile, Pellegrini is focused on City’s tricky Saturday night trip to Burnley, who are battling against relegation.
"They're a very strong unit,” said the City boss. “They showed that earlier in the season when they came from 2-0 down to earn a draw with us.
“It won't be for the want of trying if they don't stay up, they've got as good a chance as anyone.
“We must focus our minds. Our squad must think about playing a difficult game, not think about what happened in the past, in other games and other moments.
“We must not think about what will happen in the future, in the Champions League. It is very important the squad just focuses on this game.”
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