MANCHESTER CITY have fined Carlos Tevez four weeks’ wages after upholding a charge of misconduct. The club announced that a disciplinary panel had found the player guilty of five breaches of contract relating to his behaviour on the substitutes’ bench during last month’s Champions League defeat at Bayern Munich.

The 27-year-old has also been given a written warning as to his future conduct and suspended for two weeks, although the latter punishment is deemed to have already been served.

Chief among those contractual breaches was the conclusion Tevez had not fulfilled “an obligation to participate in any matches in which the player is selected to play for the club when directed by a club official”. He was also found not to have carried out “lawful instructions of any authorised official of the club”.

Tevez was accused by manager Roberto Mancini of refusing to play as a substitute during the second half of the 2-0 loss at the Allianz Arena on September 27th. The Italian added the Argentinian would be “finished” at the club but Tevez denied the allegations, blaming a misunderstanding. He insisted he had merely refused to warm up, something he deemed unnecessary as he had already done so.

Tevez was suspended for two weeks while the matter was investigated and asked to attend a disciplinary hearing last Friday. The club now appear to have found that Tevez did refuse to play but the striker has 14 days to decide whether to appeal to City’s board of directors. City’s statement read: “Following a detailed investigation and associated hearing, a disciplinary panel has upheld the charge of misconduct.

“Five separate breaches of contract formed the basis of the decision by the panel. As a result Carlos Tevez has been fined four weeks’ wages and has been suspended for a period of two weeks (deemed to have already been served). He has received a written warning as to his future conduct.

“Carlos Tevez has been informed in writing of the decision of the disciplinary panel, and the club has written to the Professional Footballers’ Association for ratification of the fine.”

Should Tevez choose to appeal and have another hearing go against him, he would have the right to a second appeal to the Premier League. That process could see the saga run into December.

Tevez is theoretically available for selection but he seems highly unlikely to be recalled by Mancini.