Beginning of the end as City suspend Tevez for two weeks

Carlos Tevez has been suspended for two weeks by Manchester City. The Blues confirmed the news last night following a telephone conference involving senior staff, including chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak.

It comes in the wake of Tevez’s refusal to play against Bayern Munich on Tuesday and seems certain to be the start of a drawn-out disciplinary process that will end a stormy two-year period with the club.

“Manchester City can confirm that striker Carlos Tevez has been suspended until further notice for a maximum period of two weeks,” said a short statement released by City.

“The player’s suspension is pending a full review into his alleged conduct during Tuesday evening’s 2-0 defeat to Bayern Munich. The player will not be considered for selection or take part in training while the review is under way.”

Aware of Tevez’s intention to report for training in line with his stance of “fulfilling his contractual obligations” as outlined in the statement he released early yesterday morning, City felt they needed to act to avoid a media circus.

Having already stated his desire for Tevez never to play for the Blues again, manager Roberto Mancini had no wish for the Argentina forward to be around as planning began for Saturday’s Premier League trip to Blackburn. Now City have time to complete a thorough investigation of events at the Allianz Arena, when Mancini claimed the 27-year-old simply refused to play, having been overlooked first for the visitors’ starting line-up, then as replacement for Edin Dzeko at the start of the second half. Condemnation of Tevez’s refusal to play has been almost universal. Spurs manager Harry Redknapp was among the most vocal critics of a player who was a hero at his old club West Ham.

For Tevez, the turmoil is nothing new. And being turned away from a local golf course as it was fully booked merely added to the sense of chaos in a life for which the football pitch has tended to be an oasis.

However, City have taken advantage of a planned day off for their first-team squad to give the whole furore some breathing space.

As the two-week period incorporates an international break, in theory, Tevez has only been stood down for one game. However, before planning begins for the 15 October encounter with Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium, a more formal conclusion is expected to have been reached.

Most likely is a January sale, although that would leave Tevez hanging around for another three months, bringing with it huge potential for disruption.

However, given the vast Abu Dhabi wealth bankrolling the entire City operation, it cannot entirely be discounted that the man who skippered the Blues to their FA Cup triumph in May, the club’s first silverware since 1976, will have his contract cancelled, or that he will be left to fester until the end of his deal in 2014. Compromise is not on the agenda.