Manchester City F.C. forward Stevan Jovetic has criticised manager Manuel Pellegrini’s decision to drop him from the club’s UEFA Champions League squad.
The Montenegro international, who joined City from Fiorentina for £22 million in the summer of 2013, was dropped from City’s European squad following the January arrival of Wilfried Bony.
Pellegrini’s decision has not gone down too well with Jovetic, and understandably so.
“I deserve to play in the Champions League, I know that,” Jovetic told the Sunday Mirror.
“The manager has killed me with this decision. I feel I deserve my place and other people have told me the same. People have told me I am a great player but it is clear that the manager does not think the same way.
“I am very disappointed, even now. I don’t think it was a good decision or the right decision.
“I know that I deserve to be on the list. I told the manager this but he did not want to listen to me. I came here to play in the Champions League.”
Jovetic, whose current deal at the Etihad Stadium expires in June 2018, has yet to decide his long-term future, but all signs seem to be pointing to a summer exit from Manchester.
“I have not made any decision about my future,” added the 25-year-old striker. “I will wait until the summer, then we will see.
“But the manager has put other players ahead of me, so maybe this is a message about what he wants to do.
“It is difficult to be focused when something like this happens but I am a professional and I want to show that I can still play a big part this season.
“This is a bad time for me but I am working hard and I will be there for the team. When we play Barcelona, I think it will be very difficult for me.
“This year, every time I have played, I think have done well. I don’t feel I have had a chance. OK, I have had injuries but so have other players.”
Jovetic has tallied five goals and two assists in 15 English Premier League appearances for City this season.
In other news, Burnley boss Sean Dyche believes the Danny Ings’ development will halt if he decides to join Spanish side Real Sociedad at the end of the season.
The England youth international, 22, is reportedly attracting from several European clubs, including Liverpool and Tottenham, but David Moyes’ side are also believed to be in the running for the player’s signature.
“I think we all know his development needs to continue and that’s in the Premier League,” Dyche told Goals on Sunday.
“The middle of La Liga is no use for a young player, I don’t personally think so – albeit it is a great standard. I think he’s better than that. I think he’s top end of the Premier League.”
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