Carlos Tevez returned to training with Manchester City's senior squad for the first time in more than four months and a reassurance that his teammates bear no grudges against him.
Manager Roberto Mancini let Tevez back in after holding talks with City's rebel striker who apologised on Tuesday for the rift that has kept him out of action since he refused to warm up in Munich last September.
Tevez, who was forced to train on his own after returning from suspension in mid-October and then went AWOL in Argentina for three-and-a-half months, has been following a specific programme to regain his fitness.
But the 28-year-old was able to train with his teammates at Carrington on Wednesday as he targets a first-team return next month.
City defender Joleon Lescott insists there is no resentment towards Tevez, and backed the Argentine to have an impact on the title race if he can regain the form that helped City lift the FA Cup and qualify for the Champions League last season.
'You need to appreciate what he has done for the club,' said Lescott. 'It's a massive boost if Carlos can come back in and hit the kind of form he showed over the last couple of years.
'Now he's back and involved I'm sure there will be a lot more fear in opposition teams who will be worried about Carlos.
'There have obviously been moments when we could have done with him, so even when we were winning no-one wrote him off and thought we don't need him anymore.
'But there's no judgement on his selection and no-one sees Carlos as a distraction. We feel that everyone involved has dealt with it right, and the players have got on with the job in hand. We are still performing in the Premier League so it hasn't affected us in any way, and I don't see how it will affect us in the final run-in.'
Micah Richards also welcomed Tevez's return but admitted that he faces a battle to win over many City fans.
'It's probably 50-50,' said Richards. 'The best thing he can do is come back and get his head down. If we do end up winning the league and he's played a massive part in that, then I'm sure everyone will forgive him. If we don't then it could be the opposite.
'But for me as a player, I'm glad to have him back. He was our captain and leader, and a real nightmare to play against. He's got something that maybe the other strikers don't have, not in terms of ability but just knowing what the Premier League is like.'
FC Porto have complained to UEFA about chants aimed at striker Hulk during Wednesday night's Europa League game at the Etihad Stadium.
However City, who noted the cold attitude of the visiting officials after UEFA opened an investigation into racist chants aimed at City players in Portugal last week, are confident it is a tit-for-tat measure that has little foundation.
Posted By CHRIS WHEELER
Manager Roberto Mancini let Tevez back in after holding talks with City's rebel striker who apologised on Tuesday for the rift that has kept him out of action since he refused to warm up in Munich last September.
Tevez, who was forced to train on his own after returning from suspension in mid-October and then went AWOL in Argentina for three-and-a-half months, has been following a specific programme to regain his fitness.
But the 28-year-old was able to train with his teammates at Carrington on Wednesday as he targets a first-team return next month.
City defender Joleon Lescott insists there is no resentment towards Tevez, and backed the Argentine to have an impact on the title race if he can regain the form that helped City lift the FA Cup and qualify for the Champions League last season.
'You need to appreciate what he has done for the club,' said Lescott. 'It's a massive boost if Carlos can come back in and hit the kind of form he showed over the last couple of years.
'Now he's back and involved I'm sure there will be a lot more fear in opposition teams who will be worried about Carlos.
'There have obviously been moments when we could have done with him, so even when we were winning no-one wrote him off and thought we don't need him anymore.
'But there's no judgement on his selection and no-one sees Carlos as a distraction. We feel that everyone involved has dealt with it right, and the players have got on with the job in hand. We are still performing in the Premier League so it hasn't affected us in any way, and I don't see how it will affect us in the final run-in.'
Micah Richards also welcomed Tevez's return but admitted that he faces a battle to win over many City fans.
'It's probably 50-50,' said Richards. 'The best thing he can do is come back and get his head down. If we do end up winning the league and he's played a massive part in that, then I'm sure everyone will forgive him. If we don't then it could be the opposite.
'But for me as a player, I'm glad to have him back. He was our captain and leader, and a real nightmare to play against. He's got something that maybe the other strikers don't have, not in terms of ability but just knowing what the Premier League is like.'
FC Porto have complained to UEFA about chants aimed at striker Hulk during Wednesday night's Europa League game at the Etihad Stadium.
However City, who noted the cold attitude of the visiting officials after UEFA opened an investigation into racist chants aimed at City players in Portugal last week, are confident it is a tit-for-tat measure that has little foundation.
Posted By CHRIS WHEELER
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