Nasri, Abidal left out of France World Cup squad

Nasri, Abidal left out of France World Cup squad - Samir Nasri, who was instrumental in helping Manchester City to win the Premier League title, was left out of France's World Cup squad when Didier Deschamps unveiled a 23-man list plus seven standby players on Tuesday.

Nasri, who has a reputation of being a troublemaker and was disappointing in Les Bleus's playoff first leg against Ukraine last year, was a notable absentee along with defender Eric Abidal.

Abidal, who has been used sparingly by Claudio Ranieri at Monaco during the second part of the season, has been deemed not good enough to travel to Brazil.

French radio RMC reported that Abidal, 34, is retiring from international football.

"Samir is an important player for Manchester City but he has not performed that well with France," Deschamps told French TV channel TF1.

"He is a starter at City, which is not the case with France and he has made clear that he is not happy when he is not (a starter), and I can tell you it can be felt in the squad.

"I built the best squad, I did not pick the 23 best French players."

Nasri was banned for three matches after launching a foul-mouthed rant at a reporter following France's quarter-final defeat by Spain at Euro 2012.

Also left out was City fullback Gael Clichy, who was at the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012 but Deschamps instead picked the talented yet inexperienced Lucas Digne of Paris St Germain.

In Brazil, Deschamps will rely on Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery, who with Mathieu Valbuena should support Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema.

In the midfield Paris St Germain duo Yohan Cabaye and Blaise Matuidi will be alongside Paul Pogba of Juventus while Deschamps is expected to pick his centre backs between Raphael Varane, Mamadou Sakho and Laurent Koscielny.

The seven standby players, which includes Southampton's Morgan Schneiderlin, will be with the squad until May 28.

France will play neighbours Switzerland, Ecuador and Honduras in Group E.

They will gear up for the June 12-July 13 tournament with friendlies against Norway (May 27), Paraguay (June 1) and Jamaica (June 8).

Goalkeepers: Hugo Lloris (Tottenham Hotspur), Steve Mandanda (Olympique Marseille), Mickael Landreau (Bastia)

Defenders: Mathieu Debuchy (Newcastle United), Lucas Digne (Paris St Germain) Patrice Evra (Manchester United), Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal), Eliaquim Mangala (Porto), Bacary Sagna (Arsenal), Mamadou Sakho (Liverpool), Raphael Varane (Real Madrid)

Midfielders: Yohan Cabaye (Paris St Germain), Clement Grenier (Olympique Lyon), Blaise Matuidi (Paris St Germain), Rio Mavuba (Lille), Paul Pogba (Juventus), Moussa Sissoko (Newcastle United), Mathieu Valbuena (Olympique Marseille)

Forwards: Karim Benzema (Real Madrid), Olivier Giroud (Arsenal), Antoine Griezmann (Real Sociedad), Loic Remy (Newcaste United), Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich)

Standby players: Stephane Ruffier (Monaco), Loic Perrin (St Etienne), Maxime Gonalons (Olympique Lyon), Morgan Schneiderlin (Southampton), Benoit Tremoulinas (Dynamo Kiev), Alexandre Lacazette (Olympique Lyon), Remy Cabella (Montpellier) (Reuters)

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Robin van Persie plays head tennis with his son, Lukas Podolski does it with a sea lion

Robin van Persie plays head tennis with his son, Lukas Podolski does it with a sea lion - Robin van Persie's young son Shaqueel, who reportedly joined Manchester City's academy in March, showed off his skills during a TV shoot with his father. The two played a bit of head tennis and Shaqueel didn't seem too bothered by all the cameras and people watching. 

Arsenal striker Lukas Podolski, meanwhile, visited a zoo back in his hometown of Cologne, Germany and discovered that a sea lion that made it look easy... 

(Instagram/Poldi_Official)

Naturally, Podolski now wants to sign the sea lion for Arsenal. Olivier Giroud is nervous. ( sports.yahoo.com )

READ MORE - Robin van Persie plays head tennis with his son, Lukas Podolski does it with a sea lion

Cellino bid for Leeds United blocked by Football League

Cellino bid for Leeds United blocked by Football League - Italian businessman Massimo Cellino has been barred from taking over fallen giants Leeds United, the English Football League announced Monday.

The League said Cellino's recent conviction for a tax offence in an Italian court was a "disqualifying condition under its owners' and directors' test".

Leeds United's Luke Varney outpaces Manchester City's Pablo Zabaleta in an FA Cup fifth round game at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester on February 17, 2013 (AFP Photo/Andrew Yates) 

However, the ruling by the Football League, the governing body for the three English divisions below the elite Premier League, leaves second-tier Leeds facing an uncertain future given Cellino has already put more than £2 million ($3.3m, 2.4m euros) into the Yorkshire club.

The league said the decision was taken at a meeting of their board on Sunday following Cellino's fine for non-payment of Italian duty on a boat imported from the United States.

"Mr Cellino was recently found guilty beyond reasonable doubt by a Court in Sardinia of an offence under Italian tax legislation relating to the non-payment of import duties on a boat," said a Football League statement issued Monday.

"This resulted in a fine of 600,000 euros (£500,800), an order for the payment of trial costs and the confiscation of the boat in question.

 

 Leeds United's Michael Brown (left) fends off Tottenham Hotspur's Gylfi Sigurosson during an FA Cup tie at Elland Road stadium in Leeds, northern England on January 27, 2013 (AFP Photo/Andrew Yates)

Leeds United's Michael Brown (left) fends off Tottenham Hotspur's Gylfi Sigurosson during an …

"Having fully considered the matter, the board agreed unanimously that the decision of the Italian court does constitute a disqualifying condition under its owners' and directors' test.

"The relevant disqualifying condition being that Massimo Cellino has been convicted of an offence involving acts that would reasonably be considered to be dishonest."

Cellino is entitled to appeal against the league's decision within 14 days.

The statement added: "In such circumstances, the League would seek to expedite the process to deliver certainty to all parties in the shortest possible timeframe."

Last Tuesday, following Cellino's conviction by an Italian court, his lawyer said the verdict was "irrelevant" as far as the takeover was concerned.

According to my point of view, this business has no relevance whatsoever to the decision of the Football League," Giovanni Cocco told BBC Radio Leeds.

"Obviously that's up to the Football League themselves.

"The verdict does not mean that Cellino is guilty -- because in Italian law he can only be guilty after the third stage of the process. Today (Tuesday) he is innocent."

Leeds, one of England's leading clubs in the early 1970s, are currently 13th in the second tier Championship and a huge 29 points adrift of automatic promotion to the Premier League.  (AFP)

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Pellegrini turns on ref as City lose to Barca in Champions League

Pellegrini turns on ref as City lose to Barca in Champions League - Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini risks a UEFA sanction after launching a scathing attack on the match referee after his side's 2-0 loss to Barcelona in the Champions League.

Barcelona took charge of the last 16 tie thanks to a second-half penalty from Lionel Messi and a late Dani Alves strike at the Etihad Stadium in Tuesday's first leg, and Pellegrini blamed match official Jonas Eriksson for his side's defeat.

In a wide-ranging attack, Pellegrini accused Eriksson of making two mistakes over the penalty decision and even questioned why a Swedish official had been given control of the game.

He also said that Eriksson should not have been in charge because he had been criticised by Barcelona following his performance in their 0-0 draw at AC Milan in the quarter-finals of the 2011-12 competition.

Eriksson sent off City defender Martin Demichelis for bringing down Messi in the incident that yielded the 54th-minute penalty and Pellegrini said: "I think that the referee decided the game.

"Before the penalty there was the foul on (Jesus) Navas, when he (Eriksson) was three metres from the player, so he saw it without any problem.

Manchester City's Belgian defender Vincent Kompany (2nd R) reacts after Barcelona's goalkeeper Victor Valdes makes a save near his line at The Etihad Stadium in Manchester, northwest England on February 18, 2014 (AFP Photo/Paul Ellis)

"From the beginning I felt that the referee was not impartial to both teams. The penalty on Martin Demichelis was not a penalty -- it was outside the box."

Asked why he had spoken to Eriksson at the final whistle, Pellegrini replied: "Just to tell him that he had decided the game. He must be very happy, because he decided the game."

The Chilean added: "He didn't have any control of the game. He decided for Barcelona from the beginning until the end.

"I think it was not a good idea to put a referee from Sweden in such an important match and a referee that made such important mistakes against Barcelona (in an earlier match)."

When he was asked to explain his reservations about Eriksson's nationality, Pellegrini said: "I think there are more important football (nations) than Sweden in Europe.

Barcelona's Argentinian forward Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring from a penalty kick at The Etihad Stadium in Manchester, on February 18, 2014 (AFP Photo/Paul Ellis)

"It was a big game with two important teams. I think maybe in that kind of game, you need a referee with more experience.

"I think the best (biggest) mistake was to put a referee that damaged Barcelona in the stage of group (sic).

"This referee whistled the Barcelona-Milan game and he made an important error against Barcelona. Today he arranged (atoned for it)."

With Pellegrini preoccupied by his gripes about Eriksson's performance, it was left to captain Vincent Kompany to vow that City had not given up on the tie.

"If the tempo was in this game, it would have been to our advantage," he told ITV.

Barcelona's Argentinian forward Lionel Messi's successfully takes a penalty kick at The Etihad Stadium in Manchester, northwest England on February 18, 2014 (AFP Photo/Paul Ellis)

"If the game is the same as today, and we manage to stay away from some fouls, we have got a chance."

Barcelona manager Gerardo Martino felt that the outcome of the game was "fair", but he warned against complacency ahead of the second leg at Camp Nou on March 12.

"I'm not necessarily confident (about going through), but it's true that we've done a good game in the away leg," he said.

"We just have to repeat the same performance."

Media focus prior to the game had centred on the extent to which Barcelona have lost their mantle in the light of their 7-0 demolition by eventual champions Bayern Munich in last season's semi-finals.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho described Martino's side "as the worst Barcelona of many, many years" and Barca midfielder Cesc Fabregas said that he and his team-mates were pleased to have silenced their critics.

"We had a point to prove, and we did it very well," he told ITV.

"Some people were talking a bit too much before the game and now they have to shut up for a few days." (AFP)

READ MORE - Pellegrini turns on ref as City lose to Barca in Champions League

Soccer-Balotelli blast has Italy dreaming in Malta

Soccer-Balotelli blast has Italy dreaming in Malta - Italy head into Tuesday's World Cup qualifier in Malta buoyed by a stirring comeback in a 2-2 draw with Brazil and the growing belief that Mario Balotelli is finally maturing into a world class international striker.

The 22-year-old, who has courted controversy on and off the field, netted a majestic strike in Thursday's friendly in Geneva when his all-round play helped Italy battle back from 2-0 down.

He showed flashes of his brilliance at Euro 2012 with a brace in the semi-final win over Germany, but otherwise flattered to deceive and was nowhere when Spain steamrollered Cesare Prandelli's men in the final.
 

Such erratic performances had been common for the Azzurri during unpredictable spells at Inter Milan and Manchester City but now he looks settled and is first choice at boyhood heroes AC Milan. Prandelli hopes such stability will pay dividends.

"He has the potential to be among the best five (players) in the world but to do that he needs a lot of continuity, as he is having at the moment," Prandelli told reporters.

Italy top World Cup qualifying Group B with 10 points from four matches, a point above Bulgaria who battered Malta 6-0 at home on Friday to leave the island nation bottom on no points.

Malta's woes means Italy should have no trouble sealing victory, especially given the bond developing between Balotelli and Italy and Milan team mate Stephan El Shaarawy.

"I'm happy he's growing up, as a player and as a man. We are together practically all the time, I see him a lot more mature," said the 20-year-old with Egyptian heritage and a mohican.

TACTICAL DISCIPLINE
El Shaarawy is likely to operate on the left of main striker Balotelli, just like he does for Milan.

Prandelli's continued snub of Antonio Cassano despite the mercurial forward being a linchpin at Euro 2012 means the third component of his preferred three-man attack is a mystery with Emanuele Giaccherini starting in the hole against Brazil.

Alessio Cerci then came on for his debut and impressed on the right hand side of the attack and may now start.

Whoever plays, Prandelli is being ultra-cautious.

"We'll meet a more united, compact and organised team than Brazil even if they are not as technically strong. They have trained for months together like a club side," he said.

Malta hope the prospect of facing the Azzurri in front of a sell-out crowd at the National Stadium will spur the players on.

"This will be a very difficult game for us but if we are fully focused and keep our tactical discipline, I believe we can gain a creditable result," captain Michael Mifsud, 31, said.

Forward Mifsud, the most capped player in the squad with 96 appearances, should retain his place but coach Pietro Ghedin, who held various posts with the Italian Football Federation before returning as Malta coach last year, could make changes.

Midfielders Gareth Sciberras, who missed the Bulgaria game with a minor groin injury, and Andrew Cohen are set to come in.

Malta gave a good account of themselves when they lost only 2-0 to Italy in Modena last September.

Probable teams:
Malta: Andrew Hogg; Andrei Agius, Luke Dimech, Jonathan Caruana, Clayton Failla; Gareth Sciberras, Roderick Briffa, Edward Herrera, Andrew Cohen, Andre Schembri; Michael Mifsud
Italy: Gianluigi Buffon; Christian Maggio, Leonardo Bonucci, Andrea Barzagli, Mattia De Sciglio; Daniele De Rossi, Andrea Pirlo, Riccardo Montolivo; Alessio Cerci, Mario Balotelli, Stephan El Sharaawy
Reuters

READ MORE - Soccer-Balotelli blast has Italy dreaming in Malta

Balotelli caught smoking on train to Fiorentina match

Balotelli caught smoking on train to Fiorentina match - AC Milan is set to fine Mario Balotelli after the striker was caught smoking in a train toilet on Saturday en route to Florence for the club's clash with Fiorentina on Sunday morning.

The striker has been hitting the headlines for all the right reasons since moving from Manchester City at the end of January and has scored seven goals in as many Serie A games; however, several reports in Italy said the club was ready to crack down on the 22-year-old after a conductor caught him red-handed smoking on the train this weekend, which is prohibited by Italian law.

Balotelli caught smoking on train to Fiorentina match

Milan vice president Adriano Galliani was also on the train and had initially been having fun during the journey, trying on a hat belonging to one of the guards and joking with members of the squad. That was until he was told of Balotelli's indiscretion by the train's most senior guard, who, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport, said, "Maybe you have to pull Balotelli's ears, because he was smoking in the toilet."

As a result, Galliani informed the teenage winger M'Baye Niang, who was in the group of players he was with, to tell to his teammate that he would be fined. He then rang the player's agent Mino Raiola to report his client.

The Rossoneri squad was taking the Frecciarossa service ahead of its clash with the fourth-placed Viola with the chance to extend the gap between the top three to nine points with a win or see it crumble to three points with a loss.

Despite the incident, Balotelli was selected to lead the line from the start for Massimiliano Allegri's men.

Balotelli was regularly snapped by photographers with a cigarette in hand during his two-and-a-half year spell with Roberto Mancini's men - a pastime that is frowned upon by many coaches for obvious health reasons.

Balotelli was in the headlines more often for his mischief and disobedience than his goalscoring during his time in England, which played a part in the Premier League champions selling the striker on deadline day in January.
 

Goal.com

READ MORE - Balotelli caught smoking on train to Fiorentina match

Manchester United's achievement has been devalued by their own relentless brilliance

Manchester United's achievement has been devalued by their own relentless brilliance - The ease with which Manchester United are romping to the Premier League title has devalued the achievement in the eyes of many observers.

As the theory goes, how can the champions elect be regarded as outstanding when the competition has been so sub-standard? Especially when they can lose at home to their principal title rivals in Spring and still peer down from a great height to the runners-up spot 12 points below.

From the outside, the path to United’s 13th Premier League coronation, and 20th in total, has been a stress-free stroll.

CITY WIN THE BATTLE...

52' Milner opens the scoring 59' Kompany nets unfortunate OG 78' Aguero scores fantastic winner

...UNITED WINNING THE WAR
		PD	W	D	L	GD	PTS
	Man.Utd	31	25	2	4	38	77
	Man.City	31	19	8	4	30	65

There have been no crises, no wobbles to provide encouragement for others, no need, even, for mind games. Just, the odd isolated defeat and an absence of any doubt about the final outcome.

The equation is thus: United can only be denied the title if Manchester City win their seven remaining league games and Sir Alex Ferguson’s team accrue their worst seven-game points haul for eight years. No bookmaker in the land would give you remotely generous odds on that dual possibility.

Yet, like Barcelona in the Spanish top tier and Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga, United appear to be suffering from their own relentless brilliance.

The two clubs widely believed to be their closest challengers before a ball was kicked this season have provided inadequate competition. Given their resources, City have mounted a feeble title defence, while it soon became apparent that Chelsea’s campaign of poisonous upheaval would be garlanded by a cup triumph at best.

Of the other heavy and super-middle weights, Tottenham and Everton have punched above their division, Arsenal and Liverpool marginally below theirs, but, then, few had predicted beforehand that this aristocratic quartet would be vying for anything other than the final Champions League place.

United have simply been too good, too often, for everyone. A haul of 77 points from 31 matches has blown away all-comers with the kind of force not seen since the first of Jose Mourinho’s two title-winning Chelsea sides in 2004-05.

Even after conceding three derby-day points, the table shows that Sir Alex’s 2012-13 collective are as much of a juggernaut as Chelsea were back in the day when Mourinho was wearing a grey overcoat. United lack the steel of a statistically outstanding defence but their strength in depth, most notably in the forward areas, is deserving of the manager’s observation that this is the best-equipped squad he has managed.

It is hard to imagine a forward of Javier Hernandez’s match-winning calibre starting fewer than his six league matches this season at any other club in Europe. And that includes Barcelona.

One of Sir Alex’s greatest skills is his squad management over the course of a 38-match campaign. He is the king of the rotators, adapting his team for each opponent and occasion.

This ‘horses for courses’ policy has been a regular feature of United’s league triumphs from the mid-noughties onwards but it has been even more marked this season.

Only six members of the squad have started more than 20 of United’s 31 league fixtures - Robin van Persie (26), Michael Carrick (26), Patrice Evra (28), David de Gea (21), Rafael (23) and Rio Ferdinand (22).

By comparison, nine Chelsea (Gary Cahill, Petr Cech, Ashley Cole, Eden Hazard, Branislav Ivanovic, David Luiz, Juan Mata, Ramires and Fernando Torres) and seven City players (Gareth Barry, Joe Hart, Vincent Kompany, David Silva, Carlos Tevez, Yaya Toure and Pablo Zabaleta) have started 20-plus top-tier fixtures.

By this yardstick, Liverpool (nine), Tottenham (eight) and Everton (eight) have all been more consistent in team selection. Only Arsenal match United’s total of six regulars, although the Gunners have five other players who have started 18 or 19 league games, a statistic United do not come close to.

Perhaps United’s greatest strength is their all-round fortitude. They are not overly burdened by an injury, or loss of form, to a single player.

Nemanja Vidic remains the club captain but he has started less than half of the league matches and will be far down the list in most observers’ assessments of the key components of the impending title triumph.

Robin van Persie was sensational before Christmas but he has flickered only intermittently since and his impact over the course of the season does not match, say, Cristiano Ronaldo in 2007-08.

Furthermore, Wayne Rooney’s latest mediocre display in a marquee match demonstrates that individual brilliance has been a secondary factor in assembling what is surely an impenetrable lead.

This season’s goals record is not too shabby. A Premier League-record haul of 96 or above remains within reach.

Yet it is unlikely that history will judge United’s 2012-13 team as favourably as the Ronaldo-inspired 2007-09 teams, the treble winners of 1999 and their immediate successors, or the early Sir Alex collectives which can still make the Govan godfather go all misty-eyed.

The 13th of his title winners remain on course to overhaul the 90-point finish of Arsenal’s 2003-04 ‘Invincibles’ but they do not possess the artistry of the high water-mark of the Arsene Wenger era.

Most United followers fondly recall the main personnel in of each of the title-winning seasons. The best XI almost always picked itself. The back five was usually rooted in cement. Edwin van der Sar behind Gary Neville, Vidic, Rio Ferdinand and Patrice Evra. Or, Peter Schmeichel barking out orders to Paul Parker, Steve Bruce, Gary Pallister and Denis Irwin.

Not this season. David De Gea featured in his34th match of the season against City. He has played behind 22 different back-four combinations. That is a revealing statistic.

It is difficult to argue that this is a great United team, especially after twin failures in the latter stages of the Champions League and FA Cup.

But this is a cutting-edge squad perfectly equipped for 21st century version of a league campaign. That is where their greatness lies.

All that’s left to nail down the legacy is to hoover up a league title. ( Goal.com )

READ MORE - Manchester United's achievement has been devalued by their own relentless brilliance

Ternyata Mario Balotelli Masuk Dalam Daftar 100 Orang Berpengaruh di Dunia

Ternyata Mario Balotelli Masuk Dalam Daftar 100 Orang Berpengaruh di Dunia - Penyerang AC Milan, Mario Balotelli, dikabarkan masuk ke dalam daftar 100 orang paling berpengaruh di dunia tahun 2012 versi majalah Time. Balotelli sendiri pernah menjadi model dalam sampul majalah Time edisi Eropa pada November 2012 lalu.

Seperti diberitakan Gazzetta dello Sport pada Kamis, 4 April 2013, Balotelli bersama wakil presiden Milan Adriano Galliani dan agennya, Mino Raiolla, akan terbang ke New York pada 23 April mendatang. Mereka rencananya menghadiri acara yang diselenggarakan oleh majalah Time.

Striker Italia Mario Balotelli merayakan gol keduanya ke gawang Jerman dengan melepas kaos pada pertandingan Semi Final Euro 2012 di Stadion nasional Warsawa, Polandia (29/6). REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger

Hanya segelintir orang yang bisa masuk ke dalam daftar tersebut. Balotelli mengikuti jejak Lionel Messi yang pernah terpilih sebagai tokoh paling berpengaruh pada tahun lalu.

Balotelli dikenal sebagai pemain kontroversial. Perilakunya di dalam maupun di luar lapangan kerap menimbulkan masalah. Salah satunya adalah insiden pertengkaran Balotelli dengan mantan pelatihnya di Manchester City, Roberto Mancini, pada awal Januari lalu.

Terlepas dari sikap kontroversialnya, Balotelli juga dianggap sebagai pemain muda berbakat. Pemain 22 tahun itu dinilai bakal menjadi pemain penting tim nasional Italia pada Piala Dunia 2014 mendatang.

Balotelli mampu tampil gemilang sejak pindah ke Milan pada bursa transfer Januari. Mantan pemain Inter Milan itu membukukan tujuh gol dalam tujuh laga bersama Rossoneri. 

tempo.co kamis, 04 april 2013 | 17:10 wib

READ MORE - Ternyata Mario Balotelli Masuk Dalam Daftar 100 Orang Berpengaruh di Dunia

You're a liar! Nasri hits back at Mancini's barb

You're a liar! Nasri hits back at Mancini's barb - You're a liar! Nasri hits back at Mancini and praises former manager Wenger as his best-ever boss in further snub

Samir Nasri has labelled Roberto Mancini a liar after the Manchester City manager questioned his £24million man’s efforts in training.

The Frenchman has endured a difficult campaign with the Barclays Premier League champions and was damned with faint praise by Mancini after his impressive showing against Newcastle on Saturday.

Nasri turned in a man-of-the-match performance in City’s 4-0 win and the manager joked that he ‘wanted to give him a punch’ for only showing his best form in fits and bursts.

False accusations: Samir Nasri, who shone against Newcastle, has hit back at manager Roberto Mancini

‘I don’t know what the difference was today,’ Mancini said. ‘I can’t understand sometimes a player with his quality doesn’t play like today every game.

'I think that the second year is always difficult to win again. And sometimes a player can think it is enough to play 50 per cent. Probably we had this problem this year.’

But speaking on French television channel beIN Sport on Monday night, Nasri hit back.

He said: ‘I am aware that I have not had a good season. There are many reasons for this. But when Mancini said that I’m training at 50 per cent, this is not true.’

Swipe: Mancini had blasted Nasri for only putting '50 per cent' effort in in training

In another thinly veiled swipe at Mancini, Nasri heaped praise on former boss Arsene Wenger, under whom he was first given a chance in the Premier League in 2008 with Arsenal.

The France forward spent three years at the Emirates Stadium but left in 2011 - a decision which continues to sit uncomfortably with Gunners fans.

But the 25-year-old says he has no regrets about the decision to turn his back on ‘the greatest coach he ever worked with’, insisting his decision to move north was not based on money.

Star man: Nasri put in an impressive display in City's ruthless 4-0 demolition of Newcastle on Saturday

He added: ‘Arsene Wenger is the greatest coach I have worked with. He is the one who understands me the most, he made me realise my potential.

'I am grateful to him for the role he played in my career. I only regret not having more discussions with him when I left.

‘I do not have other regrets. I do not regret joining Manchester City. I want to play and perform, and my departure from Arsenal is purely for sporting reasons.

Mentor: Nasri said Arsene Wenger, watching Arsenal's win over Reading, was his best-ever manager

‘When you compare Arsenal and City, it’s not the same. With City I’m playing in a better team, I won the title, and Arsenal fight to qualify for the Champions League. I didn’t leave for money.

‘Even when I left, I was in training well. All went well with the manager because he knows I showed professionalism.’

And in a move which likely enrage fans even further, Nasri claims he was forced out of the club because unpopular owner Stan Kroenke wanted to cash in a player who had one year left on his deal.

The real story: Nasri claimed he was forced out of Arsenal by billionaire owner Stan Kroenke

‘Cesc (Fabregas, who quit for Barcelona the same summer) or me were supposed to leave,’ he explained. ‘Arsene told me that if Cesc would leave, I would stay. ‘But Kroenke could not ignore the transfer fee.’

Nasri also dismissed speculation linking him with a move away from England this summer, despite interest from his homeland.

‘There is nothing going on with Monaco, nor with PSG,’ he concluded.

dailymail.co.uk : By Andy James : PUBLISHED: 22:29 GMT, 1 April 2013 | UPDATED: 07:05 GMT, 2 April 2013

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