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MANCHESTER, England, April 1 (Reuters) - Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli has promised to change his temperamental behaviour and will return to the squad this weekend after being dropped, his manager Roberto Mancini said on Friday.

Balotelli has tested the patience of his boss in his first season at the club, picking up two red cards including one against Dynamo Kiev which played a major part in the side’s exit from the Europa League last month.

He was subsequently left out of the City squad as well as the Italy squad for the Euro 2012 qualifier against Slovenia and friendly with Ukraine.

“All the strikers will be available,” Mancini told a news conference when asked whether the 20-year-old Balotelli would feature in Sunday’s Premier League match at home to Sunderland.

“I hope that after Dynamo Kiev his behaviour will be good. I think he wants to show he can change his behaviour in the last two months because he lost also the national team for two games. It’s not a good thing for a young player like Mario.”

Mancini said he had spoken to Balotelli privately and had been assured that his conduct would improve.

“I think his behaviour for the future will be good,” said the Italian, whose team are fourth in the table with 53 points, trailing leaders Manchester United by 10 points. (Reporting by Sonia Oxley; Editing by Clare Fallon; To comment on this story: sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

Labels: Balotelli, behaviour, better, return, Reuters

The Eastlands outfit have spent lavishly to bring in top talent, paying enormous sums to land the services of their targets.

And the former Barca midfielder believes that with such spending, City are bound to overtake the Catalan club in due course.

"You cannot compare Barcelona with City right now because Barca are at the top and have top-quality players," Toure told The Sun.

"They have Leo Messi, Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Dani Alves, who are fantastic. But we are still signing new players.

"In a couple of years we could be better than Barcelona. What we need to do is continue to work hard and improve with every game.

"I keep saying to my brother Kolo and my family that City have great players but we need to continue to work hard to become great."

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Labels: Barcelona, better, could, Goalcom, Manchester, Toure, years

"I though we were the better team. After a ropey start we got a grip of the game and the midfielders were outstanding," he told BBC Scotland.

"We told them we believe in them and to be fair they believe in themselves.

"We kept taking the game to Rangers. The belief, character and quality we should today was top drawer."

Rangers went ahead through Jamie Ness within three minutes, before Kris Commons levelled the match at 1-1.

Celtic goalkeeper Fraser Forster conceded a penalty and was sent off for bringing down Steven Naismith, and Rangers went further ahead before half-time when Steven Whittaker netted the spot-kick.

Celtic captain Scott Brown curled the equaliser, before Naismith was shown a second yellow for simulation.

Forster's dismissal divided opinion, but Lennon said: "It was a fair decision. I couldn't complain.

"It came from us being slack and playing square balls where we shouldn't have been, at a period when we were in control of the game."

And Lennon was impressed by his team, who still managed to outplay Rangers for spells despite being a man down.

"After Brown's goal, which was a touch of quality, I thought there was only going to be one winner," said Lennon.

"On the balance of chances perhaps a draw as a fair result, but on the balance of football played I thought we were immense.

"I wouldn't say it was a typical Old firm games - but one of the better ones I suppose.

"We'll take a lot out of today, but we're delighted at the progress the players are making."

The two teams will meet again at Celtic Park in March to determine who will travel to Inverness in the quarter-finals.

Labels: better, Celtic, Lennon, Rangers, Sport

Lewis Hamilton has revealed that he doesn?t expect record-breaking multiple F1 World Champion Michael Schumacher to be noticeably stronger in 2011 than he was in 2010 ? as he himself vowed not to change his famously uncompromising driving style regardless of whether circumstances require it.

Schumacher was far from the invincible force he had once been when he made his much-hyped return to the grid with Mercedes Grand Prix last season ? finding himself routinely outpaced, outperformed and outscored by young team-mate and compatriot Nico Rosberg. Cue a number of raised eyebrows when Ferrari?s Fernando Alonso mischievously pinpointed the German legend as his greatest threat this year [see separate story ? click here].

Whilst Jenson Button warns that it would be unwise in the extreme ever to write the 91-time grand prix-winner off, his own McLaren-Mercedes team-mate Hamilton does not seem to think he will have much to fear from ?Schumi? over the coming months.

?I think when Michael gets the car around him that he feels he has been a part of, he will be competitive,? Button mused. ?With Ross [Brawn ? team principal] at the helm, they?ll produce a competitive car and give Nico and Michael a chance to have good results. They?re definitely a team that will be fighting for victories this year.?

?He?s a seven-time world champion, so you have to assume he will be at his best this year if he wants to be, and if his car and his team have done a good job,? reflected Hamilton, before adding: ?Personally, I don?t think it?s going to be much different to the previous season, but he can easily prove us wrong.?

As to his own preparations, the 2008 F1 World Champion conceded that whilst his hard-charging, balls-out on-track manner might feasibly have cost him greater success during his fledgling top flight career to-date ? with Shanghai, 2007 the most obvious example of paying the price for pushing just too hard, an error that arguably lost him the crown in his maiden campaign ? he will not be moderating his approach.

?I?d love to have won more races, more championships, especially that first year,? the 26-year-old confessed, in bullish spirits at the Berlin unveiling of McLaren?s MP4-26 contender. ?I look back and it?s ?could have, should have, would have? ? [but] I didn?t get where I am today without driving this way. I?ve been able to win championships throughout my life, in every category I have ever competed in ? and that?s a lot of championships.

?There have been times when my driving style has not suited the car, the tyres or the tracks where I?ve raced ? but I?ve always driven like this and always will. I?ll always be the last to brake ? it?s how I am, that?s what makes me who I am.?

Labels: better, Eurosport, Hamilton, reckons, Schumacher, wonapost, Yahoo