Tevez back in training as Man City suspension ends

The controversial striker returns after two-week suspension.

Carlos Tevez returned to training at Manchester City after serving a two-week suspension for allegedly refusing to play in the Champions League defeat at Bayern Munich last month.

Tevez, in a black Hummer and accompanied by a companion, drove into the club's Carrington training ground as expected just after 12.10pm (3.130pm UAE time) and was met by two of the club's security staff when he had parked up.

Press Association Sport understands he arrived for a fitness session as the rest of the first-team squad and Roberto Mancini, the manager, had attended for regular training at 11am.

Tevez faces the prospect of a heavy punishment after the club found he had a case to answer over his conduct in Munich last month.

Mancini claimed after the defeat in the Allianz Arena that the player had refused to go on as a substitute when requested.

Kia Joorabchian, Tevez's agent, said the matter boiled down to a simple misunderstanding in the heat of the moment and claimed the forward had been mistranslated in an interview he gave after the game, when he is alleged to have declared that his "head wasn't right to play".

Tevez was suspended for two weeks the day after the game, allowing City to launch an internal investigation, the findings of which led to a statement being released which made clear the matter will not end with the two-week ban.

"The club has now reached a stage in its investigation where it has concluded that there is a case for Carlos Tevez to answer of alleged breaches of contract," said the statement released by City last night.

"Accordingly, the club has informed him that he will face disciplinary proceedings and the hearing will be convened shortly."

Mancini was furious in the aftermath of the Bayern game, declaring that, as far as he was concerned, Tevez was "finished" at City.

It now appears the club, at the very least, partially agree with Mancini's version of events on September 27, although they are yet to state publicly whether their issue with Tevez concerns his failure to warm up, or to play.

Yet, strict regulations regarding footballing disciplinary matters being what they are, the matter cannot be resolved speedily.

If City impose a punishment, Tevez will still have recourse to two appeal procedures, first to the City board, and then with the Premier League.

With all the paperwork that would have to be supplied by both parties, it means the whole saga may not be concluded until December should Tevez exercise his rights.

In a sense, that would be an acceptable situation for both parties given the proximity of the January transfer window.

It would seem to be a possible scenario, too, since it appears neither Mancini nor Tevez have backed down from their original entrenched positions.

Even if City's stance is bolstered by other club employees backing Mancini's version of events, Tevez, whose command of English remains limited, could still argue he misunderstood what was being asked of him.

The Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) have been involved in the process, and their expertise may be required again before the affair reaches a conclusion, which is likely to end with Tevez's exit.

"I have [spoken to Tevez] and he is saying he didn't refuse to play but it was a question of him continually being asked to warm up and he felt he had warmed up enough," the PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"There was a problem that was caused in the conditions of the game and one player had come off, another player had gone on and so there's conflicting views, yes, and from that point of view there is the view of the manager, the view of the player.

"The club have had to interview different people who were there at the time and see television evidence, and they feel there is enough evidence now to justify a disciplinary hearing."