MANCHESTER CITY FOOTBALL CLUB. Pre-Season Tour 2015

MANCHESTER CITY FOOTBALL CLUB Pre-Season Tour 2015 MANCHESTER CITY FOOTBALL CLUB IS THE HEART OF THE CITY. Throughout its proud history, our footbal...
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MANCHESTER CITY FOOTBALL CLUB Pre-Season Tour 2015

MANCHESTER CITY FOOTBALL CLUB IS THE HEART OF THE CITY. Throughout its proud history, our football club has built a deep, lasting kinship with communities in Manchester and in cities further afield. The fans show it in their unwavering passion for the Club; we show it through our dedication to building, for them, the successful and sustainable football club for the future. It is a responsibility that the Club is honoured to shoulder.

MCFC Pre-Season Tour 2015

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CONTACTS

COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT

Chief Executive Officer Ferran Soriano

Chief Communications Officer Vicky Kloss

Simon Heggie Head of Media Relations

Director of Football Txiki Begiristain

Chief Financial Officer Jorge Chumillas

[email protected] T: +44 161 438 7738 M: +44 7791 857 452

First Team Manager Manuel Pellegrini

Chief Infrastructure Officer Jon Stemp

Assistant Manager Ruben Cousillas Fuse

Club Ambassador Mike Summerbee

Assistant Manager Brian Kidd

Life President Bernard Halford

Alex Rowen Media Relations Manager [email protected] T: +44 161 438 7630 M: +44 7885 268 047

Head of Elite Development Squad Patrick Vieira Managing Director of City Football Services Brian Marwood

All information correct at time of writing

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Contacts for Australia Simon Heggie (Melbourne-only) Alex Rowen Contacts for Vietnam Simon Heggie Alex Rowen

TOUR DESTINATION OVERVIEW Tournament

City

Date

Opponent

Kick Off

Tournament

Venue

Training Camp 9 - 18 July

Gold Coast, Australia

Saturday 18 July

Melbourne City FC

17:00 AEST

Friendly

CBus Stadium

International 19 - 24 July Champions Cup

Melbourne, Australia

Tuesday 21 July

Roma

20:00 AEST

International Champions Cup

MCG

Friendly

Hanoi, Vietnam

Friday 24 July

Real Madrid

20:00 AEST

International Champions Cup

MCG

Monday 27 July

Vietnam National Team

20:00 ICT

Friendly

Mỹ Đình Stadium

MCFC Pre-Season Tour 2015

Date

FIXTURES: LOCAL TIMES

25 July - 27 July

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CITY IN AUSTRALIA City travel to Australia this summer to participate in the International Champions Cup Australia, presented by Audi. Manuel Pellegrini’s side will head out to Gold Coast, Queensland to begin their pre-season preparations, where they will meet their Melbourne City counterparts at the CBus Super Stadium on Saturday 18 July 2015. City will also play Adelaide United in a warm up game behind closed doors on Wednesday 15 July before moving on to Melbourne to compete in the most significant football event ever hosted in the country. There they will face Italian giants Roma on Tuesday 21 July (8pm kick-off) and Champions League semi-finalists Real Madrid on Friday 24 July (8pm kick-off). Both fixtures will be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. City manager Manuel Pellegrini expressed his excitement about the trip: “I think it is important for this Club to go to Australia. “Firstly, because we have a sister club there and I think it is a country where they like football and to play with teams like Real Madrid there is very important.

“We are particularly excited to be visiting Melbourne, which is home to our sister Club, Melbourne City. We know that it will also be a home away from home for Manchester City and we can’t wait to play in front of our Australian fans.” This major international event is expected to bring football and sporting enthusiasts from all around Australia and the Asia-Pacific region to Melbourne and will be broadcast to more than 150 countries. Nine Live, TLA Worldwide and RSE Ventures will bring the European trio to Australia and RSE Ventures CEO Matt Higgins is excited by what the tournament promises: “This event continues to fulfil fans’ demand for competitive football during the European summer, and bringing games to Melbourne shows the truly global reach of the tournament. “We look forward to hundreds of thousands of fans packing the MCG.”

City Chief Executive Ferran Soriano, echoed those sentiments: “We are looking forward, once again, to being a part of the ICC.

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CITY IN VIETNAM The second leg of our pre-season tour will see Manuel Pellegrini’s side travel to Vietnam. The second leg of our pre-season tour will see Manuel Pellegrini’s side travel to Vietnam. Following the Blues’ involvement in the International Champions Cup presented by Audi, City will travel to the Vietnamese capital city of Hanoi. Arriving on Saturday 25 July 2015, the Premier League outfit will spend three days in the country and will face the Vietnamese national team in a friendly tie to be played at Mỹ Đình National Stadium on Monday 27 July. Speaking about the club’s plan to visit Vietnam for the first time in its history, Manchester City chief executive Ferran Soriano expressed his delight with the arrangements: “We are very excited about the prospect of visiting Vietnam as part of our pre-season preparations. “We look forward to competing against the Vietnamese national team in a fixture that will provide a valuable challenge to our squad ahead of the new campaign. “This will be the club’s first ever visit to Vietnam and we are delighted to be playing in front of so many passionate football supporters and so many Manchester City fans.

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“We are very privileged to be able to come and play in front of the country’s outstanding football supporters and we look forward to seeing you there.” This fixture is a result of the joint efforts of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF), Saigon-Hanoi Commercial Joint Stock Bank (SHB) and Manchester City. SHB Chairman Do Quang Hien is looking forward to the visit: “We confirm our invitation to one of England’s leading football clubs to Vietnam to play a friendly match primarily for football fans and for sports lovers in general. “Football fans of the country will see with their own eyes the stars of the Premier League play at the Mỹ Đình Stadium against the Vietnam National Team. “I hope players of Manchester City and the Vietnamese National Team will offer Vietnamese football fans an emotional match”. VFF President Le Hung Dung added: “The invitation of one of the top clubs in the Premier League to Vietnam means a chance for Vietnamese players to play against world-class players and fans to witness the brightest stars of the English Premier League to perform at the Mỹ Đình Stadium.

FACTS & FIGURES

CLUB HISTORY

European Cup Winners’ Cup: 1970

FA Charity Shield Winners: 1937-38, 1968-69, 1972-73, 2011-2012

1875 - 1902 1880 St Mark’s Church forms a football team which would later evolve into MCFC.

Football League Champions: 1936-37, 1967-68, 2011-12, 2013-14

Full Members Cup Runners-up: 1986

Football League Runners-up: 1903-04, 1920-21, 1976-77, 2012-13, 2014-15

FA Youth Cup Winners: 1986, 2008

1884 The first known ‘City shirt’ is created – in black, with a Maltese-style cross. Some say this is because of the club’s strong links with Freemasonry in the 1880s, others believe the white cross proves the link with St Mark’s was still strong.

Reserve League Champions: 1977-78, 1986-87, 1999-2000

1887 St Mark’s team evolves into Ardwick AFC and moves to Hyde Road.

Division One Runners-up: 1999-2000

Most goals in a season: 108 in Division Two 1926-27 (42 games) & Division One 2001-02 (46 games)

1889 An explosion at the nearby Hyde Road coal mine results in the death of 23 miners – Ardwick and Newton Heath play a friendly match under floodlights in aid of the disaster fund.

Division Two Champions (original): 1898-99, 1902-03, 1909-10, 1927-28, 1946-47, 1965-66

Most goals in all competitions in a season: 156 in 2013-14

1892 The second division of the English Football League is created, with Ardwick AFC as founder members.

Division Two Runners-up (original): 1895-96, 1950-51, 1988-89

Most League goals by one player in a season: 38 by Tommy Johnson in Division One 1928-29

Division One Champions: 2001-02

Division Two Play Off Winners: 1998-99 FA Cup Winners: 1904, 1934, 1956, 1969, 2011 FA Cup Runners-up: 1926, 1933, 1955, 1981, 2013 League Cup Winners: 1970, 1976, 2014

MCFC Pre-Season Tour 2015

Most points (2 for a win): 62 in Division Two 1946-47 Most points (3 for a win): 99 in Division One 2001-02 Most capped player while at the Club: Colin Bell (England) 48

1894 Ardwick AFC reforms as Manchester City Football Club, in a bid to represent the whole city. 1899 City finish champions of Division Two, becoming the first team to gain automatic promotion. 1904 The Blues beat Bolton Wanderers in the FA Cup final at Crystal Palace, becoming the first Manchester side to win a major trophy. 1914 to 1918 World War One League football is suspended from 1915-1919, though regional Subsidiary tournaments are still in place with City taking part in the Lancashire division.

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1920s 1920 City’s Hyde Road ground becomes the first provincial football stadium to be visited by a reigning monarch. 1923 After Hyde Road is destroyed by fire, the club moves to the 85,000 capacity Maine Road. 1926 A topsy-turvy year for the Blues – managerless City become the first Manchester side to play at Wembley (FA Cup runners-up), record the highest Manchester derby victory (6-1 at Old Trafford) and suffer relegation in the same season. 1928 City promoted as Champions of Division Two and are the Football League’s best-supported club. 1930s 1934 After losing the final last year, City beat Portsmouth 2-1 to lift the FA Cup. 1934 A record provincial crowd of 84,569 is recorded at Maine Road when the Blues entertain Stoke City. 1937 Manchester City win the League Championship for the first time. 1939 to 1945 World War Two A Wartime League is set up with City playing in the Northern division. Substantial damage to Old Trafford means United are forced to play their home games at Maine Road. However City would never allow United usage of the home team changing room when the two teams met!

CLUB HISTORY 1945 - 1950 1947 City are promoted as Champions of Division Two. 1949 The MCFC Official Supporters Club is formed. 1950s 1955 City lose to Newcastle United in the 1955 FA Cup final at Wembley. 1956 The Blues play their second successive FA Cup Final, this time beating Birmingham 3-1 to lift the trophy. Their homecoming parade is the first outside transmission by Granada Television. 1958 The Munich Air Disaster devastates Manchester United’s first team squad and also kills several journalists including former City goalkeeper Frank Swift. 1960s 1965 A new club badge is developed in 1965, based around the central part of the City of Manchester coat of arms. 1966 City are promoted as champions of Division Two, under the management team of Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison. 1968 The Blues defeat Newcastle United on the final day of the season to clinch the League Championship for the second time. 1969 Manchester City beat Leicester City 1-0 at Wembley to win the FA Cup. 1970s 1970 City complete a brilliant European and domestic cup double by winning the European Cup Winners Cup and the League Cup.

MCFC Pre-Season Tour 2015

1972 The City badge is replaced with the red rose of Lancashire. 1974 City lose the League Cup final to Wolves. 1976 The Blues beat Newcastle United 2-1 at Wembley, with goals from Peter Barnes and a spectacular over-head kick from Dennis Tueart. 1979 The club break the transfer record, signing Steve Daley for £1,450,277. Within two years, the Blues became the first side to sign three individual £1m+ players (Kevin Reeves & Trevor Francis were the other two). 1980s 1981 City reach the 100th FA Cup final against Tottenham Hotspurs. Following a 1-1 draw on the Saturday, a replay was played again at Wembley, regarded as one of the most entertaining Cup finals ever. City were narrowly defeated 3-2 following a famous Ricky Villa goal but for City fans, Steve MacKenzie’s 30-yard volley was the better strike. 1986 City play in the inaugural Full Members’ Cup final at Wembley before a crowd of 68,000. 1987 A club record 10-1 demolition of Huddersfield Town is recorded at Maine Road. 1989 City are promoted in dramatic style in the last game of the season at Bradford. The highest ever Maine Road derby win is recorded, with City thumping neighbours Manchester United 5-1.

1990s 1992 The FA Premier League is formed, with City v QPR being the first ever live Monday night Sky game. 1994 City say farewell to the much-loved Kippax Stand as legislation forces the closure of terracing at Premier League grounds. In its day ‘The Kippax’ was the largest standing area in the country. 1995/96 A dramatic season sees City appoint three different managers; Alan Ball, Steve Coppell and Frank Clark as well as significant spells as caretaker for Asa Hartford and Phil Neal. 1997 City unveil a new club badge. This new design features the Latin motto “Superbia in proelio” meaning ‘Pride in battle’. 1999 One of the most dramatic games ever played at Wembley sees City promoted after a penalty shoot-out against Gillingham in the Division Two Play-Off. 2000s 2000 City return to the Premier League following back-to-back promotions. A 4-1 victory over Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park to seal promotion is followed by a celebratory pitch invasion by the Blues’ enormous travelling support.

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2002 Future manager Stuart Pearce captains City as they are promoted back to the Premiership, breaking club records for the most goals scored and most points gained in a season along the way. 2003 It’s an emotional farewell to Maine Road as City’s home for 80 years stages its last football match, City vs. Southampton on11th May. The club make the move to the impressive, 48,000 capacity, City of Manchester Stadium. 2007 Sven Goran Eriksson replaces Stuart Pearce as manager, and on 15th December City establish a ‘top flight’ club record of nine consecutive home league wins at the start of the season. 2008 The Abu Dhabi United Group become the new owners of Manchester City. Former Wales, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester United star Mark Hughes becomes the new City Manager. The club break the British transfer record for the second time with the £32.5m signing of Robinho from Real Madrid. 2009 Roberto Mancini, former manager of Inter Milan replaces Mark Hughes in December.

CLUB HISTORY 2010 The Blues enjoy their best ever Premier League campaign, finishing 5th and qualifying for the Europa League in the process, as well as reaching the League Cup semi-finals. 2011 The long wait for a trophy ends when the Blues beat Stoke 1-0 to lift the FA Cup, and they qualify for the 2011/12 Champions League for the first time too! 2012 City win the League Championship for the first time in 44 years following a thrilling Premier League campaign. A last-gasp Sergio Aguero goal against QPR secures the title in the most dramatic of fashions at a jubilant Etihad Stadium. 2013 New York City FC is announced – the partnership between Manchester City FC and the New York Yankees. Manuel Pellegrini, former manager of Malaga joins MCFC in June.

MCFC Pre-Season Tour 2015

2014 City complete a domestic double by beating West Ham United 2-0 on the final day of the season to claim their second Premier League title in three years, adding to the League Cup won after a dramatic Wembley comeback against Sunderland in March. The Blues also reach the knockout stages of the Champions League for the first time. MCFC, in partnership with the owners of Melbourne Storm, acquire Australian side Melbourne Heart in January, which is later renamed Melbourne City. 2015 City seal investment and partnership with J-League soccer club Yokohama F Marinos in a deal designed to create new global opportunities for Japanese soccer talent. City Football Group subsequently launches City Football Japan. The City Football Academy opens with the intent of securing MCFC’s future as one of the world’s leading football clubs by investing in the development of young talent.

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THE TRANSFORMATION OF MANCHESTER CITY In September 2008, Sheikh Mansour bought Manchester City FC and outlined his vision of creating a sustainable and successful football club with the fans at its heart. City completed the signing of Robinho on the same day the takeover was announced which pointed sincere ambition to transform the fortunes of this English institution.

93:20 But of course no history of Manchester City FC is complete without the remarkable events of 13 May 2012 - the final day of the Premier League season.

Carlos Tevez, Vincent Kompany and Nigel de Jong soon followed as the club set about propelling itself back into the upper reaches of the Premier League and challenging for silverware once more.

After running down an eight point gap on rivals Manchester United with just six games remaining, City knew that victory over QPR at the Etihad Stadium would guarantee a first ever Premier League title and crown them English champions for the first time in 44 years.

Former Inter coach Roberto Mancini was appointed manager in December 2009 and added David Silva and Yaya Toure to his squad in the summer of 2010. What followed were seasons that City fans of a certain age could never have dreamed of. Landmarks came thick and fast, with City qualifying for the UEFA Champions League for the first time in 2010/11 and ending the 35 year trophy drought with an FA Cup win in the same year after the 1-0 Wembley win over Stoke City.

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It was all going so well when Pablo Zabaleta gave the Blues the lead on the stroke of half-time but two second-half goals from the visitors turned the match on its head and a stadium which was having a party soon became a home to nerves, panic and desperation.

THE TRANSFORMATION OF MANCHESTER CITY What followed were 24 agonising minutes when QPR defended for their lives with 10 men packed inside their penalty area, blocking every City shot and, as the game entered its 90th minute, commentators and pundits were already concocting their own epitaphs for City’s title race. Cityitis, Typical City, this could only happen to City, they said, until… Bosnian striker Edin Dzeko headed the Blues level in the first minute of injury time, a goal that gave City a glimmer of hope but surely it was still too late? Not so, as Sergio Aguero impossibly stayed on his feet to ride a couple of sliding tackles and with one definitive lash of that exquisite right foot, ended 44 years of hurt for hundreds of thousands of City fans around the globe. Although the Blues were unable to recapture their title in the following season, City did return to Wembley for an FA Cup final against Wigan, only to fall to a last-gasp Ben Watson header which condemned the Blues to defeat. That summer, radical changes were made as Mancini was replaced by Manuel Pellegrini and five new stars in the shape of Fernandinho, Jesus Navas, Alvaro Negredo, Stevan Jovetic and Martin Demichelis were brought in.

Pellegrini’s side reached the Champions League Round of 16 for the first time in their history, before becoming the fastest club in Premier League history to score 100 competitive goals in all competitions. City’s goalscoring exploits became their most potent weapon as the Blues would go on to net an incredible 102 league goals – the second-highest Premier League tally on record. That feat also presented another impressive achievement, as it had been the first time a team had boasted three different players (Sergio Aguero, Edin Dzeko and Yaya Toure) to score more than 15 league goals. In March 2014, Pellegrini received his first English trophy, having masterminded a thrilling win in the Capital One Cup final, ensuring his side claimed the trophy for the first time since 1976. Then in May, although it had looked as though City had surrendered their challenge for the Premier League crown, the Chilean secured the domestic title with a 2-0 victory over West Ham at the Etihad Stadium. The triumph secured a league and cup double for the Blues – a feat last accomplished in 1970.

After a tricky start in which the Blues failed to win away from home until mid-October, City soon found their rhythm and set about smashing a whole host of records.

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THE TRANSFORMATION OF MANCHESTER CITY CFA Off the pitch, City’s new youth development and first team training centre – the City Football Academy (CFA) was opened in 2014. The CFA accommodates not only all playing squads, but also the majority of Manchester based staff in one connected operational base. It is a global headquarters for those in the wider City Football family, which now includes sister clubs New York City FC, Melbourne City FC and Yokohama F. Marinos. The project was underpinned by ambitious local recruitment that significantly up-skilled the local community and made a positive economic impact on the surrounding area. The City Football Academy includes… • A new Academy for up to 400 young players with classrooms for 200 • On site accommodation for junior and senior players • 16.5 football pitches, 12 of them dedicated to players aged from 8 to 21 • A state of the art first team building with changing rooms, gym, refectory and injury and rehab centre • A 7,000 capacity stadium for youth matches • Staff offices and a dedicated media centre • A bridge linking the site to the Etihad Stadium and the rest of the Etihad Campus.

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MANCHESTER CITY WOMEN’S FC Formerly known as Manchester City Ladies FC, the club was founded in 1988 by City in the Community. In the 25 years since then, their affiliation with the men’s team has taken various forms, culminating in the statement of a formal partnership with Manchester City in August 2012. The Club was granted entry to the FA Women’s Super League in April 2013 and subsequently re-launched as Manchester City Women’s Football Club in January 2014. The Club mirrors and benefits from its association with its male equivalent and is structured in all aspects of its operations to take advantage of the resources of the wider organisation – from community programmes, to youth development, scouting, coaching, sports science, digital coverage and first team football operations. In their inaugural season under Head Coach Nick Cushing, Manchester City Women’s Football Club secured a fifth place finish in the league and made history when they clinched their first ever trophy, the FA WSL Continental Cup.

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The team, of which five are England internationals who recently competed in the 2015 Women’s World Cup play their home games in the 7,000 capacity Academy Stadium at City Football Academy, the facility which they share alongside the men’s and academy teams. Brian Marwood, Director of City Football Services said: “We’re delighted with the progress the women’s team have made since their re-launch in January 2014. “Seeing them win their first trophy was a special moment for everyone connected with Manchester City, and a testament to how hard the team had worked in their first twelve months together. “We look forward to sharing future successes together in the coming years.”

MELBOURNE CITY FC Melbourne City FC is a professional football club that competes in the major Australian domestic competition, the Hyundai A-League, the top tier of women’s football, the Westfield W-League, and the Foxtel National Youth League. City Football Group acquired ownership of the club on 22 January 2014, when it was then known as Melbourne Heart FC. The Club was rebranded in June 2014 as Melbourne City FC with new kits and a new badge unveiled, inspired by the heritage and tradition of the city as well as celebrating modern Victorian culture. The central red and white component of the badge ensures that the Club’s foundation colours will always be an integral part of its ethos as the club continues to evolve. Based at La Trobe University, Melbourne City FC’s home ground is AAMI Park in Melbourne, Australia. Experienced Head Coach John van’t Schip steered the team to a semi-final berth for the first time in the Club’s history, after entering the Finals Series on the back of a fifth-place finish on the ladder at the conclusion of the regular season. The team also set a nine-match unbeaten record at home at AAMI Park, while Aaron Mooy was the standout player, voted the Club’s Player of the Year, Etihad

MCFC Pre-Season Tour 2015

Supporters Player of the Year and recipient of the Club’s Golden Boot. The team will compete in the 2015/16 A-League season, which runs from October 2015 to May 2016. The Club prides itself on developing Australia’s best young talent and has helped players transition from the Hyundai A-League to Newcastle United, AZ Alkmaar, the Turkish Super Lig and the top leagues in Asia. Originally founded in 2009, the Club entered Australian soccer’s premier league at the start of the 2010-11 campaign, when they triumphed 2-1 in the inaugural Melbourne derby over cross-city rivals Melbourne Victory. Ferran Soriano, CEO of the City Football Group said: “We are excited about the opportunity to make Melbourne City one of the most successful football clubs in Australia and throughout the region.

“We believe the strong sports culture of Melbourne combined with the football and commercial expertise within our consortium will make for a powerful combination both on and off the pitch. “Following a lengthy consultation with the Club’s members, partners, the FFA and a range of other stakeholders, we believe the changes will strengthen the Club’s ties with the community to which it belongs while expanding its ability to grow commercially and harness the many benefits of belonging to the City family.”

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Scott Munn, CEO of Melbourne City FC, said: “The Club has worked hard to create an identity for Melbourne City FC that reflects the traditions of its existing fan base and embraces the many sporting, operational and commercial benefits that are provided by our association with Manchester City FC and New York City FC.”

NEW YORK CITY FC New York City FC is the newest professional soccer team in the New York City area and the first Major League Soccer (MLS) Club to play within the five boroughs. The Club live and breathe New York City’s diverse culture and embrace the inclusion of all five boroughs in the Club philosophy. New York City FC is supported by their majority owner, City Football Group. The Club play their home games at Yankee Stadium. The New York Yankees are a minority owner. Building a new on field team from scratch, New York City FC Sporting Director, and former Manchester City and US international midfielder, Claudio Reyna, along with Head Coach, Jason Kreis, have put together a squad with an exciting mix of global super-stars, MLS experience and young up-and-coming talent. International stars David Villa, Frank Lampard and Andrea Pirlo represent the most decorated, international trio in MLS history. Aside from the numerous domestic league titles between them, it is the first time any team in the league has included three UEFA Champions League winners and two World Cup winners. New Yorkers have embraced their new Club, with approximately 17,000 season ticket holders and an average attendance of nearly 29,000, making it one of the best supported teams in the league.

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Ferran Soriano, CEO of both New York City FC and Manchester City FC, said: “New York is a legendary sports town as well as a thriving global city with a rapidly expanding soccer fan-base. We are thrilled to contribute to the energy and growth of New York City soccer.” “With a large fan base throughout the New York area, prime television rights and distribution, sponsorship commitments, and the Yankees as a US partner, New York City Football Club has everything in place to succeed.” Claudio Reyna, New York City FC Sporting Director added: “We are building something incredibly special; with a blend of exciting and experienced players who are known all over the world, with some fantastic young talent, who will only benefit from being around individuals like David Villa, Frank Lampard and Andrea Pirlo. The greatest privilege of all is to watch this team play in front of our incredible fans at Yankee Stadium.”

NEW YORK CITY FC Head Coach, Jason Kreis speaks quite openly about building a team: “We have created a squad of players who all have a tremendous appetite for the game. The stories and accolades often go to DPs but it’s more than that with this club. I believe with every young talent we have on our team, I believe we can make them a fantastic player. I believe with the right amount of work, dedication and commitment you can bring a bunch of normal players who are great men together to make a great team. I believe you can always get more out of everybody. That drives me to try to continually improve individuals and try to improve the team as a whole.” On March 15, 2015, the Club played their historic first home match at the iconic Yankee Stadium in the Bronx and defeated the 2014 MLS Cup Finalists, New England Revolution, 2-0 in front of a crowd of 43,507, bringing professional soccer back to within the five boroughs. Often known for thanking the fans publically for their continued support, Captain David Villa said: “We have to thank the fans, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the fans publicly. Having the fans behind us like they are, I think that’s amazing. Once again, I’d like to thank all the fans for all their support and to tell them we’ll continue to work hard for them.”

The 43,507 crowd mobbed the Stadium’s 14 retail outlets from the moment the gates opened two hours before the game, until 90 minutes after the action had finished. The most popular item was a soccer fan favourite – the scarf. With eight different designs on sale, by the time the final whistle was blown, every single one of the 4,000 scarves in the stadium had sold out. Tom Glick, President of New York City FC, said: “Our historic home opener was a very special day for our Club. We were overwhelmed by the huge and vocal crowd who made Yankee Stadium their own.” “The demand for New York City FC merchandise at the game shows the appetite for the Club and how eager our fans are to get behind their team. They weren’t just there to witness an extraordinary spectacle in the history of New York sports; they were buying into their team and showing their support.” Approximately half way through their inaugural season, the team continue to work hard and while results have been mixed, New York City FC are focused on making a push for the playoffs and the support continues to grow. On June 28, 2015, the Club broke their home opener attendance record with a sell-out crowd of 48,047 at the very first “Hudson River Derby” at Yankee Stadium, played against the New York Red Bulls.

The Club also made history off the field at the home opener, shattering a 20 year single game retails sales record.

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YOKOHAMA F. MARINOS In May 2014 City Football Group announced an investment and partnership which saw the group become a minority shareholder of the Yokohama F. Marinos (YF Marinos). The deal represented the first significant foreign investment in a J-League soccer club and was designed to create new global opportunities for the YF Marinos and Japanese soccer talent.

“We are proud to offer a collaborative and integrated approach to the football, marketing, media and commercial development of all the clubs in the City family.

The deal also sees CFG collaborate with YF Marinos, exposing them to a worldclass soccer infrastructure and network not seen before in the J-League but that has achieved popular acclaim and real success with teams like Manchester City.

“At the same time, we are proud that each of our clubs is firmly rooted and invested in its local community as well as connected and engaged with its supporter base. We are very much looking forward to starting our collaboration.”

“The YF Marinos is an excellent soccer club with a rich history which has grown hand in hand with Nissan. Together we see opportunities that CFG’s global soccer infrastructure will bring to the club and the excitement it will bring to the fans,” said Carlos Ghosn, Nissan President and CEO. “This partnership will contribute to the growth of the club, the growth of our shared hometown, Yokohama, as well as Yokosuka and Japanese soccer.”

The globally innovative partnership between business and sport provides the four times Asia champions, and three times J-league champions, in-depth knowledge and experience across the CFG global network which consists of Manchester City’s senior, youth and women’s teams, Melbourne Heart and New York City Football Club.

“We’re thrilled to be able to play a role in investing and building on the on-going success of YF Marinos,” said Ferran Soriano, CEO, City Football Group.

MCFC Pre-Season Tour 2015

In forming this partnership, YF Marinos gained unrivalled access to CFG’s training methods, medical care, sport science, team management and coaching knowhow, providing a motivational draw for young Japanese players and placing the club in pole position to support the national team efforts of creating a world-class team for the future. Akira Kaetsu, YF Marinos President commented: “This collaboration presents a fantastic opportunity to boost the support and growth of our club, not only in the community through youth sport investment and increased attendance, but also internationally by attracting more sponsors and supporting the national team efforts.

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“Over the last four years we have undergone significant reform with the clear goal of becoming a leading club in Japan and we have achieved our target successfully. Alongside CFG we look forward to building on that foundation to take YF Marinos into the wider Asian and World arenas.” As a global brand, Nissan stands for innovation to excite their consumer, a brand essence shared by City Football Group. With this shared purpose the two partners will explore further global joint opportunities in the coming months.

MANAGEMENT

MANUEL PELLEGRINI MANAGER Pellegrini’s early coaching career is characterised by short tenures across South America, taking his first job at Universidad Chile at the age of 33. Modest success followed in subsequent year-long spells at Palestino and O’Higgins in the early nineties but Manuel would first gain true notoriety across the continent for his two year reign at six-time Chilean champions, Universidad Catolica.

Date of birth: 16 September 1953 Place of birth: Santiago, Chile Joined City: June 2013

Born in Santiago to Italian parents, Manuel Luis Pellegrini Ripamonti is something of a rarity in the footballing fraternity having achieved a university degree in Civil Engineering at the Pontifical Catholic University in Santiago. He achieved this qualification while still on the books of Universidad Chile, the only team the cultured centre-back ever played for in his 13-year playing career. Manuel made 451 appearances between 1973 and 1986 for his hometown club. He also represented his country as a player on 28 occasions before retiring to concentrate on coaching, soon gaining the nickname “the Engineer” to reflect his academic interests and progressive footballing outlook.

MCFC Pre-Season Tour 2015

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Charged with developing two of his nation’s most promising youngsters in Alberto Acosta and Nestor Gorosito, Pellegrini led the team to consecutive second place finishes in the Primera Division, and claimed his first piece of silverware, the Copa Interamericana in 1994. He followed this success with a Copa Chile title the following year. This first taste of success was enough to catch the eye of LDU Quito in Ecuador, who appointed Pellegrini as coach in 1998, a move which was instantly rewarded with a Serie A triumph in his maiden campaign. As well as winning this first league title, LDU Quito’s excellent performances in the continent’s premier club competition, the Copa Libertadores convinced Pablo Zabaleta’s San Lorenzo to bring the manager to Argentina in 2001. Pablo was still in the youth team when Pellegrini led Los Cuervos to the 2001 Clausura title and the Copa Mercosur (South America’s UEFA Cup equivalent) in his only year in charge.

RUBEN COUSILLAS FUSE ASSISTANT MANAGER

MANUEL PELLEGRINI MANAGER Pellegrini joined a small and exclusive list of South American coaches to be given jobs in European football when he took the managerial reigns at Villarreal in 2004. What Manuel achieved in a five-year spell at the Castellon club has become the stuff of Spanish footballing legend, building this small club up into a Champions League force – a remarkable achievement for a city with a population of just 51,000. Under the Chilean, ‘the Yellow Submarine’ became the first Champions League debutants to reach the semi-finals of the competition and went on to consistently disrupt the El Clasico duopoly on one of La Liga’s tightest budgets. Real Madrid was the next project for Pellegrini in June 2009 and although he only lasted one season at the Santiago Bernabeu, he still broke the points record for the club in a single season with 96, only missing out on the title to Barcelona by three points. Pellegrini left the post with the highest win percentage of any coach to ever manage a full season at the nine-time European champions. Because of this incredible record, there was no shortage of suitors in for Pellegrini’s services and he opted to stay in La Liga with Malaga.

MCFC Pre-Season Tour 2015

Ruben Cousillas Fuse was appointed Assistant Manawwger on 24 June 2013.

His impact was again immediate as he guided Los Boquerones to a fourth place finish in his first season in charge before masterminding their run to the 2012-13 Champions League quarter-finals.

Former San Lorenzo (1982-83), Millenaries (1987), Mandau (1988-89), Velez (1989-90), Argentines (1990-91), Huachipato (1991) goalkeeper Ruben Cousillas Fuse joined Manuel Pellegrini at City after previously assisting the Chilean on several occasions.

Malaga were desperately unlucky to be eliminated at that stage courtesy of two stoppage time goals from eventual finalists Borussia Dortmund but they recovered domestically to table a respectable sixth place finish in Pellegrini’s final year in charge. After beginning his tenure at the Etihad Stadium in June 2013, Manuel celebrated his first season in charge of City by winning the Capital One Cup and the Premier League to make the most successful start to a managerial campaign in the Club’s history. Now seen as one of the world’s most respected managers, the Chilean has become synonymous with an attractive, technical brand of football which has won admirers from across world football in his richly diverse and successful coaching career.

Date of birth: 9 May 1957 Place of birth: Roque Perez, Argentina Joined City: June 2013

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He moved into coaching after retiring as a player and has worked for Talleres de Córdoba and Argentinos Juniors, moving to assistant coach at River Plate Chile before joining Pellegrini at Villarreal, Real Madrid and Malaga. He brings a wealth of coaching experience and is Pellegrini’s trusted right-hand man, assisting the Chilean to Premier League and Capital One Cup success in his maiden campaign.

BRIAN KIDD ASSISTANT MANAGER Brian spent a decade at Old Trafford as youth team boss and assistant manager before moving to Leeds, Sheffield United and, in 2008-09, Portsmouth, where alongside Paul Hart he managed to keep the south coast side in the Premier League. Kidd, who was born in Collyhurst and always maintained his family home in the Manchester area, was also England coach under former City chief Sven-Goran Eriksson.

Date of birth: 29 May 1949 Place of birth: Collyhurst, England Joined City: December 2009

Having won the European Cup with Manchester United, Brian later moved to Maine Road and racked up 128 appearances, including over 50 goals, with the Blues between 1976 and 1979. A career that also took in stints at Everton, Arsenal and Bolton ended in the United States before he turned his attention to coaching, where his techniques have won many admirers and brought success at many levels.

MCFC Pre-Season Tour 2015

After initially taking up a Technical Development role at City in 2009, Kidd became Assistant Manager when Roberto Mancini was appointed in December of that year. As Mancini’s assistant, Kidd helped deliver the FA Cup and a first Premier League title to the Etihad Stadium. The former City player has remained on the coaching staff under Manuel Pellegrini, and experienced even more success as the Blues finished Premier League and Capital One Cup Champions in the 2013-14 season.

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THE PLAYERS

SQUAD LIST 1 Joe HART (GK) 3 Bacary SAGNA 4 Vincent KOMPANY 5 Pablo ZABALETA 6 Fernando REGES (FERNANDO R) 8 Samir NASRI 10 Edin DŽEKO 11 Aleksandar KOLAROV 13 Willy CABALLERO (GK) 14 Wilfried BONY 15 Jesus NAVAS (J NAVAS) 16 Sergio AGUERO (KUN AGÜERO) 20 Eliaquim MANGALA 21 David SILVA 22 Gael CLICHY 23 RETIRED 25 FERNANDINHO 26 Martin DEMICHELIS 29 Richard WRIGHT (GK) 34 Stevan JOVETIC 35 Bruno ZUCULINI 42 Yaya TOURE (TOURE YAYA) 48 Ian LAWLOR (GK) 50 Pablo MAFFEO 51 Adam DRURY 54 Angus GUNN (GK) 58 Shay FACEY 59 Bersant CELINA 63 Eirik JOHANSEN (GK) 64 Marcos LOPES 65 Olivier NTCHAM Squad list correct at time of going to press.

MCFC Pre-Season Tour 2015

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66 67 69 68 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78

Seko FOFANO Mathias BOSSAERTS Jose Angel TASENDE Greg LEIGH George EVANS Jason DENAYER Kean BRYAN George GLENDON Ellis PLUMMER Sinnan BYTYQI Jordy HIWULA-MAYIFIULA Devante COLE Jose POZO

GOALKEEPERS

JOE HART

He won his first England cap in June 2008 against Trinidad and Tobago but having started that season as number one was replaced by Shay Given in January. Having topped 50 first team appearances, Hart spent the summer of 2009 playing for England’s Under 21s in the European Championships in Sweden. The dramatic penalty shootout in the semi-final saw Joe save a couple, and score one - but a yellow card, his second of the tournament, meant that he had to sit out the final. Around this time his season-long loan to promoted Birmingham City was also confirmed. A resounding success at St Andrews, he was named in the PFA Team of the Year and included in Fabio Capello’s England squad for the World Cup.

Date of birth: 19 April 1987 Place of birth: Shrewsbury, England Joe was signed by Stuart Pearce in May 2006 from the player’s home town club Shrewsbury Town. His professional career with the Shrews began in the 2003/04 season, when he played a handful of games, before becoming first choice keeper in the 2005/06 campaign. He was England under 19 ’keeper when he joined the Blues and made his first team debut on October 14, 2006, against Sheffield United and he kept a clean sheet in a goalless draw. Joe was loaned out to Tranmere at the start of January 2007 and was almost immediately selected for England’s Under 21s. He made a second half appearance against Spain in a 2-2 draw.

He did not play during that ill-fated campaign, but he impressed Roberto Mancini enough in pre-season to get the nod as City’s first-choice goalkeeper for the start of 2010/11. From the first match of that season when Joe was awarded man of the match in the 0-0 draw with Tottenham, he hasn’t looked back and has cemented his reputation as one of the most assured goalkeepers in Europe, becoming England’s undisputed no.1 and earning the Golden Glove award for the Premier League in City’s titlewinning 2011/12 campaign. Joe is one of the elder statesmen in the City ranks now after nine years at the club and his slow motion reaction to Sergio Aguero’s last minute winner against QPR on the final day has become one of the website’s most popular videos and showed just how much the club’s recent success means to him. Joe won his second Premier League title in 2013/14 and was also a Capital One Cup winner as City beat Sunderland 3-1 at Wembley.

MCFC Pre-Season Tour 2015

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WILLY CABALLERO

His early promise was spotted by Elche, who moved quickly to bring the keeper to Spain a year later. After a loan spell back in Argentina with Arsenal Sarandi, the keeper returned to Elche and became the permanent owner of the club’s no.1 shirt, making nearly 200 Segunda Division appearances.

RICHARD WRIGHT Former England goalkeeper Richard Wright joined City in August 2012. Wright, a free agent after a brief spell with Preston North End, was signed as back-up for Joe Hart and Costel Pantilimon.

After seven years with Los Franjiverdes (The Green Striped Ones), Willy was snapped up by La Liga side Malaga on an emergency transfer to cover an injury to Sergio Asenjo.

Wright began his career with Ipswich Town and made more than 300 appearances for the Tractor Boys during three separate spells with the club.

Swiftly adapting to his new club, Willy made his debut between the sticks days later against Villarreal, and went on to play every game until the end of the 2010-11 campaign, helping the La Rosaleda outfit successfully avoid relegation. Date of birth: 28 September 1981 Place of birth: Santa Elena, Argentina

Willy Caballero arrived in Manchester in July 2014 after previously working with Manuel Pellegrini at Malaga, where he clocked up 117 league appearances. A fine shot-stopper, the 33-yearold is recognised for his strength in organising the defence in front of him and has a wealth of La Liga and European experience. Caballero began his career in his homeland with Boca Juniors, with who he won the Argentina Primera Division, Copa Libertadores and Intercontinental Cup in 2003.

MCFC Pre-Season Tour 2015

The Argentine wrote his name into the club’s record books in October 2011 when he went 480 minutes without conceding, and was a key member of the squad that ended the 2011-12 campaign fourth in La Liga alongside compatriot Martin Demichelis.

Date of birth: 5 November 1977 Place of birth: Ipswich, England

After six years at Portman Road, Wright left Suffolk to join Arsenal in 2001 and won two England caps during his career, one against Malta and the other against Holland. He also collected 15 Under-21 caps during a spell when he was competing with City’s Nicky Weaver for young England international honours. Wright left Arsenal in 2002 and joined Everton, where he remained for five years before having further spells at Ipswich (twice), Southampton, Sheffield United and Preston.

Willy gained recognition on the European stage the following season, as Malaga topped a Champions League group containing AC Milan and triumphed over Porto in the round of 16 to reach the quarter finals. A magnificent personal campaign at domestic level that year was rewarded when the keeper made Goal.com’s La Liga Team of the Season for 2012-13. Caballero lifted the u20 FIFA World Cup with Argentina in 2001 and was also part of the squad that won a gold medal at the Summer Olympics in Athens in 2004.

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DEFENDERS

VINCENT KOMPANY

Kompany began his professional career in his homeland with Anderlecht in 2003/04 and almost immediately attracted interest from across Europe for his composed performances in the Champions League. He eventually moved to Germany and signed for Bundesliga giants Hamburg SV in 2006, but injuries restricted him to just 39 appearances. His comfort in two positions proved to be a bonus for City as injuries and suspensions bit into the squad over a gruelling 2008-09 season. Playing with a toe injury for some of the time he was one of only five Blues players to start more than 30 Premier League games.

Date of birth: 10 April 1986 Place of birth: Uccle, Belgium

Multilingual and multi-talented, Vincent was runner-up in the Blues fans’ Player of the Season poll for 2008/09 before coming into his own in 2009/10, switching from midfield to his international position of centre-half with aplomb. Equally at home as a central defender or defensive midfielder, the Belgian international regular joined City from Bundesliga side Hamburg SV in August 2008. He was Mark Hughes’ third signing and made a hugely impressive debut in August’s 3-0 victory over West Ham United. Before becoming a full international he represented his country at Under 17, 18 and 21 levels, and played at the Beijing Olympics. MCFC Pre-Season Tour 2015

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The toe problem became serious enough to warrant an operation in the summer of 2009, which forced Vincent out of the reckoning until the autumn. Despite this setback and the presence of several new signings, some outstanding performances in both midfield and central defence persuaded first Mark Hughes and then Roberto Mancini to make him a regular starter. He has since gone on to become one of the world’s very best defenders after playing an instrumental role as captain in City’s title-winning campaign in 2011/12. In 2011 and 2012, Vincent was named in the Premier League Team of the Year and earned the Premier League Player of the Season award in 2012. Vincent captained City to a second Premier League title in 2013/14 and was also a Capital One Cup winner as City beat Sunderland 3-1 at Wembley. He was captain for Belgium during the 2014 World Cup.

GAEL CLICHY

ALEKSANDAR KOLAROV

He understudied England’s Ashley Cole for a couple of seasons, and became the youngest player to win a Premier League medal in 2004 at 18 years and 10 months. After Cole left for Chelsea in 2006 he emerged as one of the mainstays of Wenger’s side despite being hampered with injuries.

In September 2007, after only one season at OFK Beograd, Kolarov was sold to Serie A giants Lazio where he made an instant impression, scoring a 40-yard thunderbolt on his full debut against Reggina. During his career at Stadio Olimpico, he became renowned for his longrange specials. He is versatile, too, and can slot into midfield if necessary, where his physical strength and technique make him a useful option.

Date of birth: 10 November 1985 Place of birth: Belgrade, Serbia

Aleksandar Kolarov, nicknamed the ‘Serbian Roberto Carlos’, joined City from Lazio in July 2010. Despite playing at left-back, the then-24 year-old Serb came with a reputation for spectacular goals and had been linked with a move to Real Madrid before opting for the Blues. Born in November 1985 in Belgrade, Kolarov began his career in 2004 at FK Cukaricki Stankom before moving to OFK Beograd in 2006, both in his homeland, Serbia.

MCFC Pre-Season Tour 2015

Kolarov registered 82 appearances in the Serbian SuperLiga and 82 with Lazio in Serie A. He also picked up valuable experience playing in the Champions League during his time in Italy. Kolarov was capped twice during Serbia’s 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign, including an appearance in the 1-0 victory over Germany, bringing his total of international appearances to 15 by the end of the tournament. After claiming his first league title in England in 2011/12, Kolarov made a good start to the 2012/13 season with a series of spectacular set-pieces in the early months of the season. Aleks won his second Premier League title in 2013/14 and was also a Capital One Cup winner as City beat Sunderland 3-1 at Wembley.

Date of birth: 26 July 1985 Place of birth: Toulouse, France

Gael left The Emirates to join City in July 2011, following in the footsteps of four former Gunners - Kolo Toure, Patrick Vieira, Emmanuel Adebayor and Stuart Taylor. The last remaining member of the Arsenal ‘Invincibles’ squad that went through the 2003-04 Premier League season unbeaten in all 38 matches, he arrived with a justified reputation as one of the finest left-backs in Europe. The Frenchman had played only 15 senior games for Cannes before he was spotted by Arsène Wenger’s scouting network in 2003 and signed for the Gunners, making his debut on the same night as Cesc Fabregas in a League Cup tie with Rotherham.

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His pace and speed of thought, allied to an ability to get up and down the pitch in the stamina-sapping environs of the Premier League, made him one of Arsenal’s most consistent defenders, while his willingness to join the attack brought a rare goal against Stoke in November 2008. His second and only other Arsenal strike was against Leyton Orient in March 2011. That Clichy is alive to play topflight football at all is a miracle, the description of the surgeon after his heart stopped for 15 seconds during a seven-hour operation as a 15-year-old. Gael’s emotional reaction to City’s titletriumph in 2011/12 was one of the most memorable of many on the day as he justified his decision to move to the Sky Blues in his very first season. Although the club’s attempts to win silverware in 2012/13 ended in disappointment, Clichy’s performances offered some comfort as the Toulouseborn full-back impressed in nearly all of his 28 Premier League starts. Gael won his second Premier League title in 2013/14 and was also a Capital One Cup winner as City beat Sunderland 3-1 at Wembley.

MARTIN DEMICHELIS Bayern Munich soon swooped for his services, taking the Justiniano Posse-born man to the Bundesliga where he stayed for most of his career. At the Allianz Arena, Demichelis initially struggled to make an impact as a series of minor injuries limited his involvement in the first-team. However, that changed when Felix Magath was appointed as Bayern manager in 2004. He often fielded Martin as a defensive midfielder over the course of 75 appearances in two seasons. Date of birth: 20 December 1980 Place of birth: Justiniano Posse, Argentina

Recognised as one of Europe’s most solid and dependable centre-backs, the Argentine international joined compatriots Sergio Aguero and Pablo Zabaleta in the City squad in the summer of 2013. Demichelis began his career at River Plate and made his debut on 2 September 2001 in a game against Estudiantes de La Plata. A year into his spell as a first-teamer with Los Millonarios, Manuel Pellegrini was appointed manager at Estadio Monumental and the defender became a firm fans’ favourite as they lifted the Argentine Primera División title together.

MCFC Pre-Season Tour 2015

In those two campaigns, Bayern won back-to-back Bundesliga and German cup doubles – two of four that the Argentine would win during a successful seven-year spell in Munich. The next two doubles would arrive under Jurgen Klinsmann and Louis Van Gaal in 2008 and 2010 respectively, with Martin reverting back to his more familiar role at the centre of defence. Under Van Gaal, Bayern reached Martin’s only UEFA Champions League final in 2009/10, though it would not be an occasion for the defender to relish as Jose Mourinho’s Inter defeated the German side 2-0. It was at this point that Demichelis sought a new challenge and was reunited with Pellegrini at Malaga.

The reunited pair achieved Champions League qualification for the first time in the club’s history in their first season and Martin got them on their way by scoring their first ever goal in the competition in the play-off win over Panathinaikos. Malaga defied all expectations by advancing from a group including Milan, Anderlecht and Zenit and proceeded to knock out Porto in the round of 16. In the quarter-finals Los Boqueneros were desperately unfortunate to be eliminated after a late and highly controversial winning goal from Borussia Dortmund. After Pellegrini accepted the offer to become Roberto Mancini’s successor at City, Demichelis joined Atletico Madrid as a free agent in July 2013. Martin never made a first-team appearance for Atleti, opting to join his former boss in the English Premier League – the latest stop in a trophy-laden, nation-hopping career. Martin won his first Premier League title in 2013/14 and was also a Capital One Cup winner as City beat Sunderland 3-1 at Wembley, all of which contributed to his recall for Argentina at the 2014 World Cup.

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ELIAQUIM MANGALA

JASON DENAYER He scored his first goal for the club in the 6-0 UEFA Youth League win over Bayern Munich at the start of October and continued to shine throughout the season, earning himself opportunities to train with the first-team at Carrington.

He made 31 league appearances the following season and lifted the Belgian Cup in one of the last of his 100 appearances for Standard Liege during 2010/11. Porto boss of the time Vitor Pereira took him to Portugal at the end of that campaign and the defender went on to feature against City in the Europa League in his first season with his new club.

Date of birth: 13 February 1991 Place of birth: Colombes, France

Eliaquim Mangala became City’s sixth signing of summer 2014. Mangala is recognised as one of the continent’s most promising young defenders, equally acclaimed for his tenacious tackling, positional sense and ability to play out from deep. The French defender left his hometown club Namur’s youth academy and started his senior career at Standard Liege, making his professional debut in November 2008.

His second season saw him become a regular starter, making 39 appearances in all competitions and scoring seven goals. The Frenchman won the Portuguese championship twice, in 2011/12 and 2012/13. In total, Eliaquim represented FC Porto on 92 occasions, including 42 appearances in 2013/14. Despite interest from the Belgian FA, Eliaquim chose to represent the country of his birth and made his debut for France u21s in a friendly match against Tunisia in 2009. He went on to take his senior bow on 5 June 2013 in a 1-0 defeat to Uruguay in Montevideo. Mangala was included in Didier Deschamps’ squad for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil but didn’t add to his three international caps.

A Belgian youth international, the ambitious Denayer was nominated for the EDS Player of the Year award after a fantastic 2013/14 campaign and joined Celtic on a season-long loan on 12 August 2014.

Date of birth: 28 June 1995 Place of birth: Jette, Brussels, Belgium

In his short time at City, Belgian centre half Jason Denayer has proved himself to be a classy operator on the ball and an excellent reader of the game at the heart of the back four. The 19-year-old struck up an excellent partnership with Shay Facey in defence throughout the 2013/14 season as the boy Blues went deep into four competitions at home and abroad.

Mangala went on to win silverware in his first season as a pro, making 11 appearances to help Standard to the 2008/09 Belgian Pro League crown.

MCFC Pre-Season Tour 2015

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Denayer made 44 appearances in all competitions for Celtic in 2014/15 where he claimed the SPL Young Player of the Year award, as well as the club’s own Young Player of the Year award. Jason made his first senior international start for Belgium against France in the Stade de France on on Sunday 7 June 2015, just three months after his debut off the bench in the Euro 2016 qualifier against Israel. The then-19-year old didn’t just feature against France but earned rave reviews for a performance which belied his modest years, earning praise from his international manager and his skipper for club and country, Vincent Kompany.

BACARY SAGNA

An athletic, powerful full-back with an eye for an accurate cross, Sagna started his career at Auxerre where he came through the youth system to become one of Ligue 1’s most consistent defenders.

PABLO ZABALETA home defeat to Chelsea on September 13. He proved versatile and durable, winning admirers amongst City fans who voted him into third place in their Player of the Season poll. He notched his first goal for the club in the 1-0 win over Wigan in January, 2009 and his second came 22 months later against Fulham, helping to condemn his former City boss to defeat with a spectacular long-range strike.

He played 121 games for the French outfit and was named in the Ligue 1 Team of the Season in his final year there before the Barclays Premier League came calling. Wenger paid a fee thought to be in the region of £7m to take Sagna to the Emirates Stadium on 12 July 2007. Seven sterling years of service followed – a time in which the defender became a firm fans’ favourite, thanks to his dependable and committed performances. Date of birth: 14 February 1983 Place of birth: Sens, France

City’s signing of French international right-back Bacary Sagna was confirmed by the club on 13 June 2014. He officially joined from Arsenal on 1 July, signing a three-year contract. Sagna brought with him extensive Premier League experience, having spent eight years at the Emirates Stadium, appearing on 213 occasions in the league for Arsene Wenger’s side. During his time in North London, Bacary won the FA Cup last season and was named in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year twice - in 2007/08 and 2010/11.

MCFC Pre-Season Tour 2015

In all competitions, he played 284 games for the Gunners, scored five times and assisted 22 goals. He also showed his versatility in North London, stepping in to play centreback with distinction a couple of times when injuries demanded it. Bacary could have represented Senegal at international level but when he accepted a call-up to France under21s, he declared for the nation of his birth. He appeared on 12 occasions for the under-21s, a number which includes four games in France’s run to the u21 European Championship semi-finals in 2006. Sagna’s first senior international callup arrived for a friendly match away at Slovakia on 22 August 2007. Then-24-years old, Barcary came on as a second-half substitute in the 1-0 win and he’s since gone to appear at the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups. He missed out on Euro 2012 with a broken leg.

Date of birth: 16 January 1985 Place of birth: Buenos Aires, Argentina

An Olympic gold medal winner, Zabaleta has proved adept at both right back and in central midfield. He had been part of the Argentina international youth set up from the age of 14 before standing on the podium at the Beijing Games. After captaining his country to victory in the 2005 Under 20 World Cup, Pablo crossed the Atlantic and joined Espanyol, helping the La Liga outfit to reach the 2007 UEFA Cup final, where they lost out on penalties to Sevilla. Mark Hughes brought him to Manchester in August, 2008 and he made his debut for the Blues in the

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In all he made 39 starts in his first season in English football, and in the following campaign his versatility saw him cement his place as an invaluable member of the squad. He made his 100th appearance against Blackpool on January 1, 2011. Surprisingly, Argentina coach Diego Maradona did not elect to take him to the 2010 World Cup, but Pablo’s wholehearted displays and committed tackling have seen him become a firm favourite with City’s fans. He scored the opening goal on that dramatic final day win over QPR in 2011/12 on the way to his first Premier League winner’s medal and followed that up by winning the Etihad Player of the Season award at City Live in August 2013. Pablo, who reached the final of the 2014 World Cup with Argentina at the 2014, won his second Premier League title in 2013/14 and was also a Capital One Cup winner as City beat Sunderland 3-1 at Wembley.

MIDFIELDERS

FERNANDINHO

in UAE, scoring the winning goal in the final against a Spain side which included Andres Iniesta. This star turn and his performances for Paranaense alerted Shakhtar who recruited the 20-year old to join a growing stable of Brazilians at the club. His break-out season was the 2007/08 campaign where he announced himself to the European stage with a series of fine performances in Shakhtar’s run to the Ukrainian Cup, scoring 11 goals and winning the Ukrainian league’s Golden Football award for best player. He was an integral member of the team that clinched the 2008/09 UEFA Cup, scoring four goals in nine appearances.

Date of birth: 4 May 1985 Place of birth: Londrina, Brazil

Brazil international, Fernando Luiz Rosa arrived into Manchester with extensive experience of the Champions League, having appeared for Shakhtar Donetsk in the tournament for eight seasons. Although he would be primarily described as a defensive midfielder, the 5ft 9 twinkle-toed midfield also possesses a rocket of a shot which has helped him towards his 68 career goals. Fernandinho came up through the youth ranks at Atletico Paranaense in his Brazilian homeland, making his debut in 2002 as a 17-year old. In 2003, he went on to feature in Brazil’s FIFA World Youth Championship title-winning side

MCFC Pre-Season Tour 2015

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A Brazil debut finally came in a 3-2 friendly defeat to Germany in Stuttgart. Lining up alongside ex-City playmaker Robinho as well as Barcelona duo Neymar and Daniel Alves, Fernandinho played 70 minutes of that tie. At Shakhtar he won the Ukrainian league title four times and the Brazilian began the 2012/13 campaign by lifting the Ukrainian Super Cup. He scored the winner in a 2-1 Champions League group stage win over Chelsea – one of five goals he netted in his last campaign with Shakhtar. He arrived at City with an impressive collection of medals that includes six Ukrainian titles, four Ukrainian Cups, three Ukrainian Super Cups and one UEFA Cup. He added the Premier League title in 2013/14 and a Capital One Cup winner as City beat Sunderland 3-1 at Wembley. He deservedly won a recall to the national team in time for the 2014 World Cup.

SAMIR NASRI

MARCOS LOPES

He joined Arsenal in the summer of 2008 after appearing for France at that year’s European Championships.

“Rony”, as he is affectionately known, joined City from Benfica in 2011 and became the Club’s youngest-ever scorer on in the FA Cup third round win over Watford in January 2013.

Samir made a fine start to his career at the Emirates Stadium when he scored on his Barclays Premier League debut, against West Brom in Arsenal’s opening match of the 2008/09 season.

Lopes was called up for the first team on their pre-season tour of Austria and the Far East, impressing the coaching staff with his direct dribbling and willingness to fire shots at goal.

His first year in England saw him make 44 appearances, scoring seven goals, but a broken leg sustained in preseason forced him to the side-lines for the start of the following campaign.

He was a regular for City EDS in 2012/13 and went on to claim the inaugural Academy Player of the Year award for the season, winning a public vote. Date of birth: 28 December 1995 Place of birth: Belem, Brazil

The Portuguese forward represented his country at the Euro u19 Championships in Lithuania in July 2013 and scored a beautiful goal against the hosts in a 4-2 win. He made four domestic cup appearances for City in 2013/14, including a man of the match winning display away at West Ham United in the semi-final of the Capital One Cup, which helped him towards his first senior medal. Marcos was nominated for the EDS Player of the Year award after 29 appearances and 13 goals for Patrick Vieira’s side and he joined Lille on loan for the 2014/15 season where he enjoyed a successful spell in Ligue 1.

Date of birth: 26 June 1987 Place of birth: Marseille

Samir Nasri joined City from Arsenal in August 2011. Born and brought up in Marseille, Samir joined his hometown team at the age of nine and rose through their youth system before making his senior debut aged 17. His relatively tender years were no barrier to Samir and he quickly established himself in the Marseille first team, playing in a central role behind two strikers. He was named as Ligue 1’s Young Player of the Year 2006/07, and he made his senior international debut against Austria in March 2007 after playing for France at a succession of youth levels.

MCFC Pre-Season Tour 2015

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He nevertheless bounced back from this blow to make over 30 appearances once fully fit, including a further five goals. The upward curve of his career continued into 2010/11, where he bagged 15 goals in all competitions and underlined his status as one of Arsenal’s major creative threats. Equally capable either out wide or in the middle, Samir was named as the French Player of the Year for 2010. He won the Premier League title in his first season at City, scoring one of the most crucial goals of the season in the 2-1 victory over Chelsea in March. Samir has made an excellent start to the 2013/14 season, forcing his way back into the reckoning for his national team. Samir won his second Premier League title in 2013/14 and was also a Capital One Cup winner as City beat Sunderland 3-1 at Wembley.

JESUS NAVAS

DAVID SILVA a key role in Spain’s 2008 European Championship success, including a semi-final goal against Russia.

The 27-year-old can boast an extensive medal collection, winning two UEFA Cups, a UEFA Super Cup, two Copa del Rey titles and the Spanish Super Cup during his time at Sevilla. He also boasts World Cup and European Championship medals with Spain.

He came to prominence when Valencia loaned him to top-flight side Celta Vigo for the 2005-06 season and he hit four goals in 31 games to help clinch a UEFA Cup spot.

After joining Sevilla’s youth system at the age of 15, he was handed his senior debut just two years later – coming off the bench against Espanyol in November 2003. A sprinkling of first team appearances followed that season, alongside a regular place for Sevilla B in Spain’s third tier. Date of birth: 10 January 1985 Place of birth: Los Palacios, Spain

Spanish winger Jesus Navas completed his move to City from Sevilla in June 2013, after thrilling crowds for ten years at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium. Electric pace, a keen desire to take on defenders and a bagful of tricks made him an exciting prospect. The diminutive winger created 76 chances for his teammates during the 2012/13 league campaign, which was the fifth highest total in La Liga.

MCFC Pre-Season Tour 2015

The youngster earned promotion to the first team the following season and chalked up 393 appearances for his home town club, scoring 34 goals. Clubs across Europe were finally alerted to his many talents during the 2006 UEFA Cup campaign, when the winger played in all 12 of Sevilla’s matches on the road to lifting the trophy. Navas has played 23 times for his country including an appearance from the bench in the 2010 World Cup final. Jesus won his first Premier League title in 2013/14 and was also a Capital One Cup winner as City beat Sunderland 3-1 at Wembley.

Date of birth: 8 January 1986 Place of birth: Arguineguin, Spain

David Silva must have felt at home straight away at the City of Manchester Stadium, having conjured the winning goal on his previous visit.

David’s exploits earned him a sevenyear contract and he made more than 140 appearances for Valencia, scoring 20 goals, before deciding to join City. He quickly adjusted to the demands of English football, with a brilliant individual goal at Bloomfield Road helping him win City’s player of the month award for October. More influential performances saw him scoop the same prize in the following month. Since joining City he’s gone on to become one of the world’s best midfielders, helping his country to the Euro 2012 prize.

The Spanish international had happy memories of the Etihad even before joining the Blues after scoring for Valencia in a pre-season opener against City in 2007.

He has Premier League and FA Cup winner’s medals in his bulging collection, as well as individual honours which include a place in the 2012 PFA Premier League Team of the Year and the City Player of the Year Award for the same season.

He was joint top scorer with four goals in the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championships, helping Spain to reach the quarter-finals, and made his senior debut in November 2006.

He was again at his sparkling best as City won the Premier League title in 2013/14 and was also a Capital One Cup winner as City beat Sunderland 3-1 at Wembley.

David scored his first goals in a 3-2 win over Greece in 2007 and played

Silva was part of the Spain squad who were surprisingly eliminated at the group stages of the 2014 World Cup.

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YAYA TOURE

Date of birth: 13 May 1983 Place of birth: Sekoura Bouake, Cote d’Ivoire

Yaya Toure’s decision to join centrehalf Kolo at the club meant they became the first brothers to play for City since Shaun and Bradley WrightPhillips. Standing at 6ft 2in, the 27-year-old was a popular figure among Barcelona fans and had attracted interest from a number of top clubs in the Premier League and around Europe. Yaya began his career as a youth with Ivorian side ASEC Mimosas in 1996 before he moved to Beveren aged 18 in 2001, spending two full seasons with the Belgian side before joining Ukrainian side Metalurg Donetsk in 2003.

MCFC Pre-Season Tour 2015

After further spells with Olympiakos and Monaco enhanced his reputation yet further, Yaya became the first Ivorian to join Barcelona, in 2007.

FERNANDO

In 2009, he won the Champions League with the Catalans as an emergency centre-half and he celebrated his second successive La Liga title during 2009/10 before jetting off to South Africa – to represent his country at a second World Cup.

Snapped up by Porto two years and 57 league appearances later, he was immediately loaned out for the following season to fellow Primeira Liga outfit, C.F. Estrala Amadora.

Toure not only won the Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup, but also claimed the La Liga title twice and lifted both the UEFA Super Cup and the Copa del Rey.

Swiftly adapting to European football, Fernando missed just four games all season and instantly established himself as one of the first names on the teamsheet.

Yaya wore the No.24 shirt for Barca in honour of one of his boyhood idols, Patrick Vieira, but happily decided to wear 42 at City given that his preferred number was already occupied by his hero!

Upon his return to Porto, he was immediately placed into the firstteam at Estádio do Dragão, where he was a regular starter alongside Lucho González and Raul Meireles, helping the Portistas to a league and Portuguese Cup double in his first season.

He kept the 42 shirt during 2011/12 but the man who scored the winning goals in the 2010/11 FA Cup semi-final and final lost nothing of his happy knack for making key contributions at crucial moments, coming up with a brace against Newcastle in City’s penultimate game of the season to put Mancini’s men within touching distance of the league crown. Yaya limped out of the final match of the season against QPR before halftime but was seen right in the thick of the celebrations after the game - just rewards for one of City’s most reliable performers. Yaya had his best season in sky blue in 2013/14 when he scored 24 goals, was voted third in the PFA Player of the Year and won his second Premier League title. He also lifted the Capital One Cup and scored a crucial goal as City beat Sunderland 3-1 at Wembley.

Date of birth: 25 July 1987 Place of birth: Alto Paraiso, Brazil

Fernando Francisco Reges arrived at the Etihad Stadium from Porto after lifting four Primeira Liga trophies during his seven year career at the Estadio do Dragao. A quick, rangy and explosive midfielder, Fernando was recognised for his ability to anticipate and break up opposition attacks, and play the first pass out of the defensive third. He began his career in his homeland with Vila Nova Futebol Clube in the third tier of the Brazilian league pyramid where he made his professional debut in 2005.

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The Brazilian clocked up more than 3,000 minutes the following season as Porto claimed a league, cup and Europa League treble under Andre Villas Boas. Fernando started 14 times in the Europa League that season, including the final in Dublin against Braga. He would end the following season by again lifting the Portuguese league trophy – a feat he repeated for the fourth time 12 months later. Virtually ever-present during the 2013/14 campaign, the midfielder missed just five league games all season and played every minute of the Portuguese side’s Champions League campaign.

BRUNO ZUCULINI Bruno Zuculini completed his move to City in August 2014. The highly rated 21-year-old Argentina Under-20 international joined from Racing Club, having made 92 appearances and scoring 10 goals. He spent pre-season with City during the pre-season tours of Scotland and the USA, and impressed in midfield during the games for Manuel Pellegrini’s side, scoring in the friendly against Kansas City.

Date of birth: 2 April 1993 Place of birth: Belén de Escobar, Argentina

MCFC Pre-Season Tour 2015

The midfielder, whose brother Franco has won one full cap for Argentina, is viewed as one for the future and spent time on loan at both Valencia and Cordoba during the 2014/15 season.

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STRIKERS

WILFRIED BONY Born in Bingerville he played street football from a young age in the Brazilian style of ‘Maracana’ before joining the Cyrille Domoraud Academy. He signed his first professional contract with Issia Wazi in the Côte d’Ivoire’s Premier Division and remained at the club until Sparta Prague B signed him on loan in 2007.

Date of birth: 10 December 1988 Place of birth: Bingerville, Cote D’Ivoire

Wilfried Bony signed for City on 14 January 2015. The 26-year-old joined Manuel Pellegrini’s side, having caught the eye with an impressive goalscoring record for fellow Premier League outfit Swansea City since his arrival in England’s top flight in 2013. The Ivorian netted 25 goals for the Welsh club in 54 appearances , with three of those 25 strikes coming against City in just two meetings. Hailed as one of the most naturally gifted forwards around, the forward was quickly targeted as the perfect solution to the Blues’ striker shortage.

MCFC Pre-Season Tour 2015

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Having impressed at ‘B level’ for his part in securing the Bohemian Football League championship, he was rewarded with a full contract with the first-team and went on to net 22 goals in 59 games, prompting Vitesse to snap him up in 2011. He enjoyed another fruitful period with the Dutch side, ending the 2012-13 season as the Eredivisie’s top scorer, clinching the league’s Golden Shoe award and consequently attracting Swansea’s interest. At international level, Bony has made 42 appearances for the Ivory Coast since making his senior debut in 2010, scoring 14 times.

SERGIO AGUERO His excellent club form was rewarded with a first senior cap in September 2006 and a year later, Aguero starred as the outstanding player of the 2007 Under-20 World Cup. Winner of both the Golden Boot and Golden Ball awards, ‘El Kun’ scored six goals in seven games to clinch successive Under-20 World titles. Aguero continued to thrive at Atletico and following the departure of Torres to Liverpool, was partnered with Uruguayan striker Diego Forlan ahead of the 2007/08 campaign. Date of birth: 2 June 1988 Place of birth: Quilma, Argentina

Following Gael Clichy and Stefan Savic into the club, Sergio Aguero’s arrival at City was completed on 28 July 2011 as the club’s third signing of the summer. The Argentine striker’s professional career started in July 2003 when, aged just 15 years and 13 days, he made his debut for Independiente, becoming the youngest debutant in the Argentine Premier League - a record previously held by the man who became his father-in-law, none other than Diego Maradona. Aguero won the Under-20 World Cup with Argentina in 2005, before combining with Fernando Torres at Atletico Madrid the following year.

MCFC Pre-Season Tour 2015

The duo led Atletico to Champions League qualification for the first time in a decade and Aguero was named La Liga’s best foreign player in 2008 – the only time in four years that Lionel Messi was not awarded the honour – before landing an Olympic gold medal with Argentina that summer. The 2009/10 season proved even more fruitful for Aguero as Atletico won the Europa League – from which UEFA Super Cup success followed - and were only narrowly beaten in the Copa del Rey final. Appearances at the 2010 World Cup and 2011 Copa America established Aguero as a permanent fixture in the national side and his arrival at the Etihad Stadium broke the club’s transfer record. He didn’t take long to announce himself as one of the world’s deadliest strikers at City, scoring twice on his debut against Swansea in the first

Premier League fixture of 2011/12, including one strike from 30 yards which had City supporters salivating over what was to come.

He reached the World Cup final with Argentina in 2014, before reaching his highest ever goal-scoring tally the following season for the Blues.

Aguero scored 30 goals in his debut season at the Etihad Stadium, becoming the first player to achieve this feat in the top flight since Francis Lee in 1971/72.

The striker scored 31 goals in all competitions with 26 of those coming in the Premier League, leading to Sergio being presented the Golden Boot award.

Sergio’s place in Manchester City history was secured when he ended the club’s 44-year Premier League title wait with his goal in the 94th minute against QPR on the final day of the 2011/12 season. Although injuries took their toll on Sergio’s second season at the club, the Quilmes-born hitman did still manage to weigh in with a respectable 12 Premier League goals in the 2012/13 campaign, including a header in the FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea which put the Sky Blues into the final. Aguero hit the ground running in 2013/14 with four goals in his first six Premier League games - including a brace against Manchester United in the stunning 4-1 win. The opening goal in that comprehensive win was his 50th goal for the club. He bagged 28 goals in 2013/14 campaign and also won his second Premier League title in 2013/14 and was also a Capital One Cup winner as City beat Sunderland 3-1 at Wembley.

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EDIN DZEKO Now regarded as one of the best strikers in Europe, he actually began his playing career at local side FK Zeljeznicar as a midfielder. But when he moved to FK Teplice in the Czech league, Dzeko finished top scorer for the 2006-07 season with 13 goals from 30 appearances. He moved to Bundesliga side Wolfsburg in the summer of 2007 for €4million and made an immediate impact with five goals in 11 games, helping the club to fifth place and a UEFA Cup spot. Date of birth: 17 March 1986 Place of birth: Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Edin Dzeko became Roberto Mancini’s ninth signing when the Bosnian striker moved to the City of Manchester Stadium from Wolfsburg on a five-year deal in January, 2011. Dzeko, who has scored 10 goals for Wolfsburg in 17 Bundesliga matches this season, was a target for some of Europe’s leading clubs. His signing was seen as a significant statement of intent for City’s League title ambitions. Dzeko was born on March 17, 1986 in Sarajevo, a city in turmoil and under siege during the break-up of the old Yugoslavia, when Edin was only six.

MCFC Pre-Season Tour 2015

But his second season was exceptional. Dzeko formed a potent partnership with Brazilian Grafite, scoring 26 out of the duo’s recordbreaking 54 goals as Wolfsburg won their first league title. A further 10 goals in domestic and European cup competitions clinched the 2008-09 German Footballer of the Year award. Dzeko was also nominated for the 2009 Ballon d’Or, won by Lionel Messi. The striker, who was made a UNICEF ambassador in November 2009, became the highest League scorer in Wolfsburg’s history. He scored 66 goals in 111 Bundesliga matches and 84 times in all competitions. Dzeko has represented Bosnia and Herzegovina at all levels, impressing on his senior debut with a volleyed goal in a 2-2 draw against Turkey in June 2008, and has gone on to score 17 times in his 31 international appearances.

While he just missed out on the World Cup finals in 2010 - Bosnia and Herzegovina lost in the play-offs to Portugal - Dzeko still finished the qualifying campaign as joint secondtop scorer with nine goals. Once his move from Wolfsburg to City was completed, it did not take Dzeko long to look at home in English football. He linked up superbly with Carlos Tevez to set up Yaya Toure’s goal in his first game for City, an exciting win over Wolves, before opening his account for the Blues in just his third outing to salvage a draw with Notts County in the FA Cup. Edin couldn’t have started 2011/12 better, scoring City’s first goal of the season, a tap-in against Swansea before going on to bag a four goal haul against Spurs in one of the finest City striker’s performances in recent memory. Dzeko went on to weigh in with a vital 14 goals in 30 appearances that season, including the 92nd minute equaliser against QPR on the final day which sent City on their way to the title. In 2012/13, Dzeko was City’s top-scorer with 15 goals in 44 appearances. Edin scored 26 goals during City’s second title-winning season of 2013/14 and was also a Capital One Cup winner as City beat Sunderland 3-1 at Wembley, as well as representing Bosnia at their first World Cup finals in 2014.

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STEVAN JOVETIC His five seasons in Florence yielded 40 goals from 134 appearances, helping his new employers to Champions League qualification for the first time in a decade, though a cruciate ligament injury meant he missed the entire 2010/11 campaign. In Europe, he has scored against Liverpool and Bayern Munich during Champions League matches, while he also captained his country aged only 17 at Under-21 level after taking the armband off his idol Marko Vucinic.

Date of birth: 2 November 1989 Place of birth: Podgorica, Montenegro

Stevan Jovetic joined City from Fiorentina in July 2013. The 23-yearold Montenegro international joined the Blues after attracting the interest of many of Europe’s top clubs.

He has since become a key component of the senior Montenegro side. Former boss Dejan Savicevic once commented: “He is utterly fearless and I don’t see a limit to his potential. Is he the new Savicevic? No, he can be even better. He reminds me of Johan Cruyff.” Stevan won his first Premier League title in 2013/14 and was also a Capital One Cup winner as City beat Sunderland 3-1 at Wembley.

Something of a teenage sensation when he first broke into senior football with Partizan Belgrade, he made club history by captaining the team aged only 17. He scored 23 goals in 61 games for the Serbian giants before moving to Italy in 2008 for a fee in the region of £8m, and spent three seasons in Serie A with La Viola becoming a firm favourite with the Fiorentina supporters.

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CITY ACADEMY The Academy was set up in 1998 to provide a strong and effective youth programme aimed at the recruitment and development of young footballers within Manchester City Football Club. Since then more than 30 young players have emerged from the Academy to play first-team football for Manchester City, including the likes of Shaun Wright-Phillips, Micah Richards and England striker Daniel Sturridge. In line with the Elite Player Performance Plan, the Category 1 Academy prepares players of the future for the Club and enables them to progress both on and off the field.

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Based at the newly built City Football Academy players aged 9-18 receive structured coaching together with an educational and welfare programme throughout their time at the Club.

CITY IN THE COMMUNITY Community has always been at the heart of Manchester City Football Club both at home and abroad As a club with roots firmly in the local community, one of our key aims is to give something back to those people, both domestically and internationally, that have supported us through the years.

In addition to this, we endeavour to engage and interact with the various communities we come into contact with all over the world - from Africa to the Middle East and North America.

Our health, coaching and education programmes as well as our involvement in the regeneration of East Manchester, touches the lives of over 200,000 people a year.

We hope our supporters across the globe will enjoy learning about what we do and will engage with us as our community work develops and grows worldwide.

For over 29 years CITC has engaged with people from all areas of Manchester, showing the clubs’ commitment to supporting its local communities.

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ON OUR SIDE Official Club Partners