Blues In Support Of Mario Ahead Of Cup Clash

As Roberto Mancini's squad prepare their bid for League Cup Semi-Final second leg revenge at Liverpool, James Milner and Sergio Aguero have talked up Mario Balotelli...

One of City's most consistent performers, 26 year old England international Milner said of the young Italian:

'Mario is fun, and good to have around the place. He scores important goals and hopefully can score a few more winners between now and the end of the season. - Is it a welcome distraction? Maybe, as long as it is at the right time. You can always rely on Mario to set some fireworks off to get the headlines. He is just very confident in his own ability. He has lots of that...I have seen him take sixty or seventy penalties against Joe Hart. Joe has only saved one — and when he did, he was jumping around because he had saved it. Mario just waits for the keeper and makes it impossible for him to save it.'

Meanwhile Kun Aguero, the brilliant young Argentine with 21 goals from 35 appearances this season said of his fellow striker, who himself has hit 12 goals in 23 run outs:

'We all know what a fantastic player he is. Off the pitch, everyone has their own path. Those of us who are really close to Mario know that off the field he's a really good lad. Like a lot of players he has his own idiosyncrasies here and there. Everyone knows him as a player from what you see on the field. But I know that off the field he's a lovely lad.'

Some of Balotelli's Robin Hoodesque escapades around town are the stuff of legend. Kun continued:

'He's a young lad, he takes care of himself and approaches his life as he wants.'

And so to tomorrow night, barring any possible assistance from Phil Dowd, Liverpool's defenders will be subjected to Aguero's relentlessly skilled running again and the striker, in a rich vein of form is up for the cup:

'It would be nice to play in a final. We'll be giving everything we have got. We know it is going to be tough but we will be going out to try and get to Wembley.'


UPCOMING FIXTURES:
all times East Manchester

Tomorrow 19:45 Liverpool, Anfield, LCSF2
Tu 31 Jan 20:00 Everton, Goodison Park, PL
Sa 04 Feb 17:30 Fulham, The Etihad, PL
Su 12 Feb 16:00 Aston Villa, Villa Park, PL
Th 16 Feb 20:05 Porto, Estádio do Dragão, ELR32
We 22 Feb 20:05 Porto, The Etihad, ELR32
Sa 25 Feb 17:30 Blackburn, The Etihad, PL

Click here to join in the debate on the club forum.