Manuel Pellegrini apologises for referee comments

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has apologised for criticising referee Jonas Eriksson following his side's 2-0 defeat to Barcelona on Tuesday night.

UEFA revealed that they would be investigating Pellegrini's comments, and the Chilean has admitted that he should not have said anything in the heat of the moment.

"We lost the game we lost against Barcelona, you are frustrated and angry," BBC Sport quotes Pellegrini as saying. "Maybe I said something but I don't think that way. I want to apologise.

"I want to clarify there was no serious accusation to the referee or to UEFA. I said the referee decided the match because he didn't give us foul against Jesus Navas and then to the penalty we had a player sent off in that moment.

"The referee decided the game. A lot of time he didn't give the foul. It's a difficult profession, he had a bad day and I didn't say that he was a bad referee."

City must now beat Barca by more than two goals in Camp Nou in the return leg.