Stevan Jovetic has accused Manuel Pellegrini of ‘killing him’ after the Chilean boss left him out of Manchester City’s Champions League squad.
The Montenegrin striker, who arrived from Fiorentina for £22million 18 months ago, was omitted from Pellegrini’s European plans following the arrival of Wilfried Bony from Swansea.
Jovetic insists Pellegrini has made a mistake in leaving him out of the squad and admits he will now asses his future at the club.
Manchester City’s Stevan Jovetic celebrates scoring against Swansea earlier in the season
The 25-year-old told mirror.co.uk: ‘I deserve to play in the Champions League. I know that.
‘The manager has killed me with this decision. I feel I deserve my place and other people have told me the same.
‘People have told me I am a great player, but it is clear that the manager doesn’t think the same way.
‘I am very disappointed, even now. I don’t think it was a good decision – or the right decision.
‘I know that I deserve to be on the list. I told the manager this, but he didn’t want to listen to me. I came here to play in the Champions League.’
Wilfried Bony arrived at Manchester City last month from Premier League rivals in a big money deal
Bony’s arrival meant the Montenegrin striker was omitted from Manuel Pellegrini’s Champions League squad
Jovetic, who attracted interest from Italian duo Inter Milan and Juventus in January, added: ‘I have not made any decision about my future. I will wait until the summer then we will see.
‘But the manager has put other players ahead of me, so maybe this is a message about what he wants to do.
‘It is difficult to be focused when something like this happens, but I am a professional and I want to show that I can still play a big part this season.
‘This is a bad time for me, but I am working hard and I will be there for the team.’
Jovetic featured heavily in the Champions’ League group stages, playing five of City’s six games, as the Premier League champions beat Bayern Munich and Roma.
City face Barcelona later this month and Jovetic admits thinking about playing against the Spanish giants has left him upset.
Jovetic and James Milner celebrate scoring against Hull City last weekend at the Etihad Stadium
Jovetic said: ‘I have spent all week thinking about it and when we play Barcelona I think it will be very difficult for me.
‘I think I helped the team get through the group and, because of that, I am very unhappy that I am out.
‘This year, every time I have played, I think I have done well. I have score five goals in the Premier League without having too many minutes on the pitch.
‘I know that we can all have disappointments – that’s football – but I am hurting really bad right now.
‘Of course, the squad has been made smaller, but the club knew this at the start of the season. I don’t feel I have had a chance. Okay, I have had injuries but so have other players.’
Pellegrini made the decision to drop Jovetic for the Champions League squad after Bony’s arrival
