Soccer Extreme : Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini has had a blazing row with four of his players, who claim he is giving striker Mario Balotelli special treatment.Emmanuel Adebayor, Shaun-Wright Phillips, Joleon Lescott and Wayne Bridge confronted their boss the day after the goalless Manchester derby, when striker Balotelli left training early even though he hadn't played the night before.
They told Mancini, who recently accused players of laziness, does not apply his usual rules to the former Inter Milan striker, who arrived in August for about $45 million.
"The lads are not happy because they are not playing as much as they'd like to be, but they work hard,' said a source.
'Balotelli is Mancini's blue-eyed boy because he came from Inter.'
Adebayor was furious at having only played a few minutes as an injury-time substitute, and kicked over a tactics board after the game.
Balotelli is on a five-year contract but could be leaving next summer. He was seen dining with AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani this week.
'The likelihood is I will be at City up to June,' he said. (heraldsun)