Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini has criticised the behaviour of missing striker Carlos Tevez.

The Argentine angered Mancini when he refused to warm up in a Champions League group match against Bayern Munich in September.

"Tevez behaved stupidly in the way a player shouldn't, especially a great player," Mancini said.

"I was really angry because I was not expecting that from him. I always had excellent relations with him.

"That's the first time I've seen that in such an important match when there was 40 minutes still left to play."

After being fined and suspended by the club for his actions, Tevez went against City's demands and flew to Argentina.

Mancini insists that he has given Tevez the opportunity to return, but Tevez has remained in his homeland.

"Ten days after what happened in Munich, I invited him to come to my place to talk," Mancini added.

"I told him if he apologised to me, to the club, to the team, he could come back into the squad.

"I would have forgiven him but he replied that he didn't have to apologise to anyone."

Tevez is reportedly in talks with AC Milan over a possible January transfer.