Mancini junior set for new career in Spain

31 Jul 2012, 8:03 pm   -   Source: Reuters
AS Roma's Mancini celebrates after scoring as Palermo's Andrea Barzagli (L) reacts during their Italian Serie A soccer match in Rome December 17, 2006. REUTERS/Giampiero Sposito

AS Roma's Mancini celebrates after scoring as Palermo's Andrea Barzagli (L) reacts during their Italian Serie A soccer match in Rome December 17, 2006. REUTERS/Giampiero Sposito

MADRID (Reuters) - Having a famous and successful father is not always easy in football but Andrea Mancini is not about to let it get in the way of his ambition to play for Real Madrid or Barcelona one day.

MADRID (Reuters) - Having a famous and successful father is not always easy in football but Andrea Mancini is not about to let it get in the way of his ambition to play for Real Madrid or Barcelona one day.

The 19-year-old son of Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini, forward Andrea is about to begin his debut season with Real Valladolid after the Italian realised his options at City were limited and agreed to join the La Liga club's B team.

"For sure it's not easy having the surname Mancini," Andrea said on the official La Liga website (www.ligabbva.com).

"He is Roberto and I am Andrea, he has already ended his career and I am starting mine," he added. "If I ended up being 40 percent of the player he was I would be satisfied."

Roberto Mancini's 20-year playing career as a striker included stints at Serie A sides Bologna, Lazio and Sampdoria and he made more than 700 domestic and European appearances, scoring 206 goals.

He won two Serie A titles and six Italian Cups as well as two UEFA Cups and made 36 appearances for Italy.

Andrea Mancini said it was the dream of every kid, including him, to play one day for Real or Barca and having Real coach Jose Mourinho as his boss would be a special privilege.

"I would like to play for him (Mourinho) one day," he said, adding that City's Italy striker Mario Balotelli had been full of praise for the Portuguese, who was his coach at Inter Milan.

"Balotelli told me that he is a marvellous coach, that he has a fantastic personality and way of dealing with the players."

Valladolid won promotion back to the top flight at the end of last season and Mancini said his focus was to win a place in the first team.

"For a lad of 19 the most important thing is to play and Valladolid have shown throughout their history that they are the perfect club for young people," he said.

"I have joined the youth side but I want to play for Real Valladolid in the first division.

"They told me I am starting a very important season and I should give 110 percent in training."

(Reporting by Iain Rogers; Editing by Alastair Himmer)

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