Manchester City's Aleksandar Kolarov in incident over Albania flag

• Police receive complaint about racist language at Newcastle
• Aleksandar Kolarov in 'altercation' with fan bearing Albania flag

 

 

Manchester City's Serbia defender Aleksandar Kolarov was the subject of a complaint from two Albanian Newcastle fans. Photograph: Graham Stuart/AFP/Getty Images

Manchester City collected the three points without too much trouble with a 3-1 win over Newcastle but their season took another unexpected turn when Aleksandar Kolarov, their Serbian defender, allegedly became involved in an altercation with a home fan bearing the national flag of Albania.
Northumbria police confirmed they had received a complaint of racist language being used and were investigating the matter. A spokesman said: "Northumbria police takes such allegations extremely seriously and inquiries are ongoing into the incident."
Kolarov was warming up on the touchline at the time, before his introduction as a first-half substitute, when he caught sight of the flag and made a remark to its owner. It is not clear exactly what was said. Two Albanian Newcastle supporters made the complaint. City had no official comment to make other than to say that they had been made aware of a verbal exchange between a player and a spectator, and Kolarov travelled back to Manchester on the team bus.
Neither Roberto Mancini nor Alan Pardew witnessed the incident and were unable to comment further, with the City manager understandably preferring to stick with Manchester rivalries rather than venture into Balkan politics.
Mancini insisted his only message to Sir Alex Ferguson is a friendly, festive one after his side returned to their stylish best. Defeat in the Manchester derby last Sunday meant City fell six points behind their neighbours at the top of the Premier League, but Mancini reckons it is too early to make firm predictions about the title race. "It was important to start winning again after losing but the only message I wish to send to Sir Alex is 'Happy Christmas for the 25th,'" the City manager said. "We know very well that in this championship the title race is not finished."
Mancini will also have to do without Samir Nasri for several weeks, after the midfielder limped off with a groin strain. Mario Balotelli, however, was dropped from the squad because he had not been playing very well. "He is not in good form at the moment," his manager confirmed. "We left him at home because it is better right now if he continues to train."