Mancini Slams Rummenigge Attack on City Finances

Roberto Mancini has hit back at Karl-Heinz Rummenigge after the Bayern Munich president again questioned Manchester City's ability to meet UEFA's Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations.

Rummenigge called on European football's governing body to impose strict sanctions on clubs who fail to meet the criteria for FFP and supports the proposed bans from the Champions League and Europa League.

The German's comments were reported on the eve of the two clubs meeting in a vital Champions League group game at Eastlands -- a game Mancini's side must win if they are to have any chance of advancing to the knockout stage.

And the City manager admitted he was frustrated at former Germany striker Rummenigge's decision to once again turn the spotlight on the Premier League leaders' balance sheet.

"I don't understand Rummenigge's behavior against Manchester City," said Mancini on Tuesday.

"For six months he talk against us every time for Financial Fair Play and he continues to say he hopes Napoli go through to the second stage. I don't know what's different with us.

"I think Manchester City are working for this FFP for the next two years. But I don't understand what's happening with Rummenigge. Tomorrow, I will ask him."

This month City, owned by the UAE-based Sheikh Mansour, announced annual losses of £194.9 million ($304.3m), the highest ever recorded in English football.

Whilst accepting the vast scale of the losses, City officials were adamant it marked a low point in their financial graph and from this point forward, they would be embarking on a significant upward trend.

Thankfully for City, the figures will not be taken into account by the FFP regulations as they fall outside the accounting window.

Meanwhile, a mammoth sponsorship deal with Etihad Airlines, said to be worth £35m a year over the next decade, will have begun to impact on City's accounts in 12 months' time.