Carlos Tevez will report for training at Manchester City tomorrow with the prospect of a heavy punishment hanging over him after the club found the Argentina international has a case to answer over his conduct in Munich last month.
Manager Roberto Mancini claimed after the 2-0 Champions League defeat to Bayern in the Allianz Arena that Tevez had refused to go on as a substitute when requested.
Tevez's trusted advisor Kia Joorabchian 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 a fortnight the day after the game, allowing City to launch an internal investigation, the findings of which led to a statement being released this evening in which it is made clear the matter will not end with the two-week ban that has now been completed.
"The club has been conducting an investigation into the events of 27 September at the Allianz Arena," the statement read.
"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.
"Accordingly, the club has informed him that he will face disciplinary proceedings and the hearing will be convened shortly.
"Carlos will be required to report to Roberto Mancini for training on Thursday."
The prospect of Mancini and Tevez being present on the same training ground is an enticing one given the mutual animosity that so obviously exists.
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 Blues, 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 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 likely 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 are already thought to have been involved in the process, and their expertise may be required again before the affair reaches a conclusion, which must surely end with Tevez's exit.
For now, though, a member of a City leadership team already weakened following the departure of chief executive Garry Cook will pass judgement.
It seems certain to be just the next stage in a lengthy process, with Tevez all the while reporting for duty and collecting a salary in excess of £200,000 a week.
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