A host of Manchester City first-team players are reportedly becoming increasingly frustrated with manager Roberto Mancini after he decided to fly his squad to Italy for a charity match.
The Italian coach is believed to have selected a number of senior regulars over fringe players to take part in the friendly fixture, which is just four days before a Premier League clash against Aston Villa.
"The players are livid," the Daily Star quotes a club source as saying. "One minute the manager is all doom-and-gloom about suspensions and injuries, but now we have to fly to Italy for a charity game.
"Some of the players are going to put their views across, but they fear their protests will fall on deaf ears because they feel Mancini does not communicate with them. One member of the backroom staff has already decided not to travel."
The North West side are under pressure from rivals Manchester United, who sit level on points with City at the top of the league table.
Danielle Joynson
