Players' union throws weight behind Tevez over fine

The Professional Footballers' Association has backed Carlos Tevez in his increasingly bitter feud with Manchester City. The players' union yesterday issued a statement supporting the Argentine's insistence that he did not refuse to play in the Champions League loss at Bayern Munich last month.

City this week fined Tevez four weeks' wages for misconduct after finding him guilty of five breaches of contract. After an investigation and a disciplinary hearing last Friday, City's judgement concluded that the 27 year old had effectively refused to play when asked to come on as a substitute at the Allianz Arena.

Yet Tevez always contended that he merely refused to warm up. The PFA's statement read: "The PFA's opinion, based on all the evidence presented, is that Carlos Tevez never refused to play for the club.

"The PFA considers that there is no justification for a fine other than up to the prescribed sanction of two weeks' wages."