FC Timisoara v Manchester City Preview

Manchester City kick off their Intercities Fairs Intertoto UEFA Cup Big Vase Europa League campaign 5am tomorrow morning AEST, against Liga I side FC Timisoara from Romania. This match is not available on Fox Sports or ESPN, so you'll have to resort to "other methods" to watch the game.

We dare not treat Timisoara lightly — it was in the same stage of this competition two years ago that we almost suffered an embarrassing elimination at the hands of FC Midytlland. It was only through an injury-time own goal and a penalty shootout that we were able to remain in that season's UEFA Cup.

Let's not forget a couple of days ago in the Champions League, Tottenham were expected to beat Young Boys quite easily (oo-er), but will have to come from behind against Young Boys if they're to progress (ok, that's enough). Point is, we should treat our European opponents with respect.

Last season, Liga I was ranked eighth on the UEFA Coefficient — suggesting that it is a more competitive league in European competition than those in Portugal (9th), Turkey (11th), and Scotland (52nd, just above San Marino).

Roberto Mancini has named a strong squad to fly to Romania — after all, it would be humiliating to exit the competition at this stage, after all the talk of having a big enough squad to fight on four fronts.

Joe Hart will start between the sticks for the second match in a row, which is somewhat surprising. It could be argued there was a case for selecting the Shay Given in our Europa and Domestic Cup campaigns, and keeping Hart for the League. By sticking with Joe, he ensures consistency in defence, but may also bring Given's time at the club to an end.

Aleksandar Kolarov picked up an ankle injury in the first half against Tottenham, and won't be fit, nor will the other new defensive signing, Jerome Boateng. James Milner will also be unable to play, signing too late to be named in the squad.

Joleon Lescott will likely make his first appearance this season at left back. Mario Balotelli, Patrick Vieira and Adam Johnson are likely inclusions to the side that drew at Spurs last Saturday.

Fearless Prediction: FC Timisoara 1 - Manchester City 2.

Meanwhile... Milner and Ireland Swap Agreed

It's all change at City at the moment — no sooner had Craig Bellamy left the club, the James Milner/Stephen Ireland swap deal (with about £18million chucked in of course), has been agreed and will be completed shortly.

This is the best deal City could have hoped for. Milner is a brilliant signing, an equal mix of versatility, creativity, and trackbackability. He fits perfectly in the right of midfield in Mancini's planned 4-3-3 system. Whilst he doesn't attract a lot of attention, due to the rather unattractive role he fulfils, he does his job very, very well, and he'll improve the team significantly.

As for Ireland, it's a real shame he couldn't replicate the performances of the 2008-09 season. But he wasn't going to be selected in the Premier League 25-man squad — and nor did he deserve to — so it's only fair that he moves to a club that will play him. Much like the transfer of Bellamy, the fact that Ireland promised so much yet ultimately delivered so little makes it a little hard to take. I'm not particularly thrilled in the manner that we've pursued Milner and forced out Ireland either...

The signing of Milner is the one that completes the puzzle for City, but whether this is the end of our summer spending remains to be seen.

Craig Bellamy Loaned to Cardiff

There's been much speculation over the future of Craig Bellamy last week, and now the club can confirm that he will go on loan to Championship side Cardiff City for the rest of the season.

I guess this move suits everyone, although I would have much preferred a six-month loan. Bellamy gets first-team football in his homeland. Cardiff get an exceptional player, with subsidised wages assumably, to push for promotion. And of course, Roberto Mancini gets his wish and rids his team of a cancer — and sends a strong message to the rest of the squad that loyalty is placed above ability.

It's the correct thing to do, but it's not really a cause for celebration. I'm really disappointed by Bellamy. He could have had real success at City, or even Liverpool before it. His commitment and dedication on the pitch could never be faulted — but I'm afraid his career will be remembered mostly for bad knees and an even worse attitude.

Don't mess with the family...

OFFICIAL: "Super" Mario Balotelli Signs!

After one of the most protracted transfers since last season's Lescott saga, Mario Balotelli is now officially a Manchester City player.

It's been a tough week for Mancini, but he couldn't keep the smile off his face:

"I think that Mario is one of the best players of his age in Europe, and I very happy to be working with him again. His style of play will suit the Premier League, and because he is still so young there is a big chance for him to improve. He is a strong and exciting player, and City fans will enjoy watching him."

To me, this signing trumps them all. Robinho, Carlos Tevez, David Silva... the lot. A kid, who by the age of 20, has three Serie A titles, a Champions League medal, and the footballing world at his feet. He could very well be our Cristiano Ronaldo, or at the very least, our Wayne Rooney.

Very, very happy days indeed.

Balotelli and his entourage arrive at Eastlands. What Marlon Harewood was doing there, is anyone's guess...

Bellamy's Future in Doubt?

Craig Bellamy has been left out of the 25-man squad to play in the Europa League qualifier against Romanian side FC Timosoara, on 19 and 26 August.

The full squad is as follows: Given, Hart, Taylor, Richards, Boateng, Zabaleta, Kolo Toure, Lescott, Logan, Bridge, Kolarov, Wright-Phillips, Adam Johnson, Yaya Toure, Michael Johnson, Barry, Vieira, Kompany, De Jong, Silva, Adebayor, Robinho, Santa Cruz, Tevez, Jo.

The squad conditions for the Europa League are even more confusing than the Premier League ones. Each team can consist of 25 players - eight of which must be "locally trained". These locally trained players must have spent three years between the age of 15 and 21 at an academy system at and English club.

Out of these eight, a minimum of four must have been trained by Manchester City, which is why outsiders such as Shaleum Logan and Michael Johnson appear in this squad, despite the latter not due to return from injury until December. Also, this squad does not require us to name players under 21, such as Vladimir Weiss or Alex Nimely.

This squad had to be submitted to UEFA by 9 August for the play-off round, and if we successfully advance, we will choose another squad (before 1 September) that will serve as our Europa League squad for the length of the competition.

However, it's highly unlikely that Bellamy would have been a constant feature in our European campaign regardless of his relationship with the manager. With his injury record and dodgy knees, he finds it extremely difficult to play two games in a week at the best of times.

Having said that, if Bellamy wants to remain at the club, he's not going about things the right way. He's been quoted in the media a few times this week, speaking out about how he has no contact with Mancini, and how he might leave the club should he not be selected in the final 25. Retirement's even been suggested.

"I feel strongly that I can offer something at the club. But if I don't get in the 25-man squad, I don't know what I will do. I might finish, full stop, or look at every option I get."

"This game is as ruthless as any. I sort of feel I am not going to be part of it (at Manchester City). I can see it from a distance. I find that very difficult to take because I really enjoy playing for Manchester City. I think I have shown that with my commitment this year."

"I've had a few options. I've turned down Wolfsburg. I don't fancy Germany, it's not somewhere I see myself playing football. I have to see what options I have. I am here to play football."

"With this 25-man ruling, it doesn't matter how well I train or how good my attitude is, I might not be registered to play. So do I go without playing football until January, or do I find myself a club where I can play football?"

"I am committed to stay where I am. I feel I deserve to be part of it, but I don't pick the 25 or the team. I have to wait on their decision."

Rather than knuckling down and proving to the manager just how good a player he is, and making it impossible for him to be left out of the squad — Bellamy all but wants out. And it has the stench of a Redknapp-tap-up all over it...

Does it come as any surprise that a player, who famously fell out with Newcastle, Liverpool, and West Ham, is now on the outer at City? I, like a lot of City fans, thought that Bellamy had realised that this was his last chance to really achieve something in the game, his last real big club.

Once Mark Hughes was moved on however, Craig reverted to type. He was seen to take David Moyes' side in his spat with Roberto Mancini, and perhaps the final straw, that handshake with Harry Redknapp after Tottenham knocked us out of Champions League contention.

And just like the battles between Hughes and Elano — if there's a bust-up between a player and a manager, there is usually only one outcome.

We'll only truly know until the Spurs match on Saturday what the future holds for Bellamy. If he's left out of the starting 17 at White Hart Lane, we may well have seen the last of Bellers in a blue shirt.

Mancini and Bellamy in happier times — can they repair their fractured relationship for the betterment of the team?