London, Mar 17 : Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini has said skipper Carlos Tevez needs a break to get back to his best.

The goals have dried up for Tevez, with just one coming in his last nine appearances. Before his lean spell, the striker had scored 20 goals in 26 matches.

Mancini hopes the upcoming international break can help Tevez, 27, recharge his batteries after 11 club games since February 2.

“Carlos needs to work in the next week. In the last 45 days, it’s been impossible. If we have 20 or 23 players when we play four or five games in two weeks, we would be able to change six players every game,” The Sun quoted Mancini, as saying.

“We don’t have that option and when you can’t train it’s difficult to keep the same level for one month or 45 days. That’s the same for all the players,” he said.

“It isn’t only Carlos who has lost his sharpness, all the players have. But if we don’t have problems against Kiev or Chelsea, then we can recover all our players after the internationals.

“Then they can come back very well, like they were four or five weeks ago. But the next two games will be very hard,” Mancini said.

Many City fans believe that Tevez has struggled to gel with Mario Balotelli and Edin Dzeko. (ANI)