City’s new manager, who was a flamboyant and charismatic player for Sampdoria and Italy, told a packed Press Conference: “I think that Robinho can make history.”
Robinho has been a target for Barcelona since the summer, and the European champions are widely expected to make a bid next month to land him on loan with a view to a permanent deal.
“I played for Sampdoria for 15 years and I made history, I wrote history. I think that that Robinho can stay here, and he can write himself into the history of Manchester City.
“Robinho is a fantastic player, but I have five or six who play in attack and who are very good. We can play in different formations. I always played in attack, and for me that’s most important.
My team will play to win always - home, away or in training, that is most important. My own target is to arrive in the top four, that is my objective. But next season we want to win the title
Mancini revealed that his managerial mentor, former City boss Sven Goran Eriksson, had been in touch to wish him good luck at the City of Manchester Stadium.
He said: “He called me yesterday and was very happy for me. He told me that Manchester City is a fantastic club.”
Mancini reported that his first day of training had gone well and that his only worry before his managerial debut, the Boxing Day match against Stoke, would be injuries.
He said: “I’m not thinking at the moment about who will be captain. I have a lot of playeers, important players, international players. For now it is Kolo Toure.”
