<p> Manchester City have lodged a complaint with European soccer's governing body UEFA about what they said was racist abuse directed towards striker Mario Balotelli during a Europa League match against Porto. <br /><br /></p>.<p>British media reported the Italian was subjected to monkey chants during the English Premier League leader's 2-1 victory in the first leg of their last 32 tie in Portugal on Thursday. <br /><br />A City representative said on Friday the club had brought the matter to the attention of UEFA officials. <br /><br />"I heard something," City's Ivorian midfielder Yaya Toure told Sky Sports News. "That's why we like the Premier League because it never happens there... maybe in a different country they don't expect black players." <br /><br />Manager Roberto Mancini had said after the final whistle that he had not heard anything during the match. <br /><br />"I didn't hear this because I was concentrating on the game," local media quoted the Italian as saying. <br /><br />"But I think the players are strong. Mario did very well. He was calm and it is important he contributed. <br /><br />"He knows these kinds of things can happen every game. This is the reason I spoke to Mario before the game and said you should think only about football." <br /><br />Racism is a hot topic in English soccer at present with Liverpool's Luis Suarez having served an eight-match ban for racially abusing Manchester United's Patrice Evra and Chelsea captain John Terry facing criminal charges over alleged comments he made to Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand.</p>
<p> Manchester City have lodged a complaint with European soccer's governing body UEFA about what they said was racist abuse directed towards striker Mario Balotelli during a Europa League match against Porto. <br /><br /></p>.<p>British media reported the Italian was subjected to monkey chants during the English Premier League leader's 2-1 victory in the first leg of their last 32 tie in Portugal on Thursday. <br /><br />A City representative said on Friday the club had brought the matter to the attention of UEFA officials. <br /><br />"I heard something," City's Ivorian midfielder Yaya Toure told Sky Sports News. "That's why we like the Premier League because it never happens there... maybe in a different country they don't expect black players." <br /><br />Manager Roberto Mancini had said after the final whistle that he had not heard anything during the match. <br /><br />"I didn't hear this because I was concentrating on the game," local media quoted the Italian as saying. <br /><br />"But I think the players are strong. Mario did very well. He was calm and it is important he contributed. <br /><br />"He knows these kinds of things can happen every game. This is the reason I spoke to Mario before the game and said you should think only about football." <br /><br />Racism is a hot topic in English soccer at present with Liverpool's Luis Suarez having served an eight-match ban for racially abusing Manchester United's Patrice Evra and Chelsea captain John Terry facing criminal charges over alleged comments he made to Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand.</p>