Man City furious as players union blocks Tevez fine

MANCHESTER CITY is furious with the Professional Footballers' Association for taking the side of the club's problem player Carlos Tevez and blocking its plans to impose a four-week fine on the striker.

City is particularly angry with the PFA's chief executive Gordon Taylor, accusing him of a conflict of interest after he represented Tevez in disciplinary hearings.

The PFA has blocked the fine - which would amount to approximately £800,000 given Tevez's pay packet - on the grounds that City have failed to prove the player refused to come on as a substitute in the Champions League match against Bayern Munich a month ago.

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"The PFA's opinion, based on all the evidence presented, is that Carlos Tevez never refused to play for the club", the union said. "As such the PFA considers that there is no justification for a fine other than up to the prescribed sanction of two weeks' wages agreed by the FA, the Premier League and PFA."

To impose fines greater than the normal two-week maximum, clubs require approval from the PFA. City, after finding Tevez guilty of five counts of misconduct, believed they had the necessary support from the PFA and have accused the union of a U-turn, although they have grudgingly accepted the union's judgment.

"Manchester City have been in dialogue with the PFA since September 28," the club said yesterday. "Today's PFA decision is a departure from the club's understanding of that dialogue. The maximum two-week fine provided for in standard player contracts will now be applied".

Tevez is likely to appeal against the reduced fine – around £396,000 - and has 14 days to do so. There is unlikely to be any immediate thaw in relations between player and club. Tevez has declared his intention to leave, and manager Roberto Mancini has said that the player is "finished" at City.

Yet the club remains determined not to accept cut-price offers. "The club's formal position is that no offer for Carlos Tévez will be considered unless it reflects true market value", a spokesman told The Daily Telegraph. At this time no bids have been received.