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Pellegrini: being dropped helps Joe Hart
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini confirmed that Joe Hart will be dropped for the English club’s Champions League fixture CSKA Moscow on Tuesday yet said the goalkeeper will benefit from being sidelined.
Hart watched from the bench as City cruised to a 7-0 thrashing of Norwich City over the weekend after paying the price for a disastrous beginning to the season. The 26-year-old will once again be replaced by Costel Pantilimon in between the posts against CSKA following a rocky year or so for Hart.
The England No1 replaced Shay Given in goal for City back in 2010 and featured in every single on of The Sky Blues’ league matches in the 2010/11, 2011/12 and 2012/14 seasons, yet has been dropped from the starting-lineup as Pellegrini claims the former Premier League champions has been overworked and needs a rest.
“I don’t know when Joe will come back to the team. It is very important for him to have a rest. He played all the matches for two-and-a-half years. Pantilimon will play [against CSKA].”
“Joe reacted very well. He is a professional player. For him it is also a good thing to have a rest after playing so many matches. He is working without any problem and supporting Costel Pantilimon. Nobody wants to be out but he thinks it will be useful for him.”
Victory against CSKA will take City through to the knockout stages of the Champions League for the first time barring a miracle, but Pellegrini will be without Stevan Jovetic for the fixture after the forward injured his calf during City’s Capital One Cup win over Newcastle United. Vincent Kompany is also out as he continues to suffer a groin injury, Pellegrini confirmed.
“Jovetic has at least three weeks (out). Except Vincent Kompany and Richard Wright, all the other players are fit.”