Soccer Games: City losing Tevez hope

Manchester City are facing up to the fact that their influential skipper Carlos Tevez's participation in next weekend's FA Cup final is still under some serious doubt. The 27-year old suffered a hamstring injury last month against Liverpool, and it is still very much touch-and-go as to whether the Argentinean will be included in the match-day squad that travel to Wembley on May 14th.

The striker has been told by manager Roberto Mancini that he needs to be back training by the time City take on Spurs next Tuesday if he is to be considered for the season's showpiece against Stoke at Wembley. Tevez will be desperate to play in the cup final, the striker was left out of the Manchester United side that lifted the trophy back in 2009. The City skipper will be doing everything he can this week to make sure he is the one that is handed his club's first major trophy since 1970's European Cup Winners' Cup success. Anyone looking at the Man City vs Stoke betting should keep an eye on Tevez's fitness.

Tevez has made his return to light training, after returning from spending his rehab in Italy, but his manager is still far from certain of having the 22-goal striker available. Mancini maintained he is still hopeful about Tevez but remains realistic regarding what is a delicate injury.

"It is very difficult for him to play against Everton and if he doesn't play against Tottenham, it will be impossible for Carlos to play in the final," he said.
"We have just over a week so we will wait and we hope that he can recover. I think it is 50 per cent at this moment."

If rumours are to be believed, then this could well be Tevez's last chance for success at Eastlands, with the talismanic forward linked to a number of Italian clubs, with Inter apparently leading the race and by the time people start looking at the Euro 2012 betting odds, he may have moved on. The Argentinean tried to engineer a move away from the club earlier in the season and his mind may not have been changed since then. The City fans would certainly be more forgiving should Tevez leave after helping the club into the Champions League and lifting the FA Cup.