Roberto Mancini has spoken of his “enormous satisfaction” at ending Manchester United ’s dominance of Manchester City seven years ago.
The Italy coach was asked how his experiences of working abroad had helped him to develop into a coach who has helped to revive the fortunes of the national team.
And he singled out his time at City, when his team won the Premier League on a dramatic final day, as special.
Mancini also ended the Blues’ 35-year wait for a major trophy and got them into the Champions League for the first time, and is fondly remembered by the fans.
They loved him for promising to "tear down" the mocking "34 Years" banner at the Stretford End and making good on that promise, as well as standing up to Reds boss Sir Alex Ferguson in a fiery touchline spat.
And his breakthrough moment has heralded a period of City superiority in which the Blues have won four league titles, four League Cups and an FA Cup to United's tally, which is one of each trophy.
He took out a full-page advert in the Manchester Evening News to thank those supporters for their backing, and they reciprocated by clubbing together and taking out a reciprocal ad in an Italian publication.
“Bobby Manc” has gone on to manage Galatasaray, Inter Milan and Zenit St Petersburg before getting the Italy job last year.
And he fondly recalled his three and a half seasons at the Etihad Stadium.
“Manchester clearly had not won for fifty years and suffered humiliation from United, and United fans, for a lifetime,” he said.
“Overturning the situation was an enormous satisfaction, and it was winning abroad, winning in the Premier, which in recent years has become the most beautiful championship, has been an enormous satisfaction.
“People go to the stadium just to have fun. However you have to adapt to their football culture, to ways of training that are totally different.”
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