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Cape Town - After his much publicised move across the city of Manchester, Owen Hargreaves has come crashing down to reality as Manchester City are set to leave him out of their 25-man Champions League squad to be announced later on Friday.
Hargreaves was signed by City as a free agent after his former club, City’s fierce neighbours, Manchester United terminated the midfielder’s contract after three injury-ridden seasons with the Red Devils.
According to the Daily Mail website, City’s manager, Roberto Mancini cited the reason for Hargreaves’s omission was that the English international still had to prove his match fitness and that he needs at least five to six more weeks of fitness work for him to be ready to play.
However, Hargreaves has not given up hope as he attempts to resurrect his career.
“It's important that you get back into a rhythm of playing football and I haven't done that for a while. There's tons of games to come this season in various competitions.
“I've never not played in the Champions League, it's pretty much been standard for me every season.
“I like to measure myself against the best and I've always taken on challenges - I left Canada for Germany as a kid, I've left comfortable situations.
“It's a fantastic group of players here, and I hope that I'll be a good addition to these guys to help out.”
Under the Regulations for this season’s Champions League, City’s 25-man squad must include at least eight locally-trained players, which Hargreaves is one of them. Mancini may have no choice but to include Hargreaves if he cannot find the necessary number of locally-trained players to fill his squad and meet UEFA’s requirements.
City kick off their maiden Champions League campaign at home against Italian outfit, Napoli on September 14.
Hargreaves was signed by City as a free agent after his former club, City’s fierce neighbours, Manchester United terminated the midfielder’s contract after three injury-ridden seasons with the Red Devils.
According to the Daily Mail website, City’s manager, Roberto Mancini cited the reason for Hargreaves’s omission was that the English international still had to prove his match fitness and that he needs at least five to six more weeks of fitness work for him to be ready to play.
However, Hargreaves has not given up hope as he attempts to resurrect his career.
“It's important that you get back into a rhythm of playing football and I haven't done that for a while. There's tons of games to come this season in various competitions.
“I've never not played in the Champions League, it's pretty much been standard for me every season.
“I like to measure myself against the best and I've always taken on challenges - I left Canada for Germany as a kid, I've left comfortable situations.
“It's a fantastic group of players here, and I hope that I'll be a good addition to these guys to help out.”
Under the Regulations for this season’s Champions League, City’s 25-man squad must include at least eight locally-trained players, which Hargreaves is one of them. Mancini may have no choice but to include Hargreaves if he cannot find the necessary number of locally-trained players to fill his squad and meet UEFA’s requirements.
City kick off their maiden Champions League campaign at home against Italian outfit, Napoli on September 14.
