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Champions League outcast Stevan Jovetic has accused Manuel Pellegrini of “killing” him by leaving him out of Manchester City’s European squad.

Jovetic, who has made way for £28million new-boy Wilfried Bony, has broken his silence over his shock omission in an exclusive interview with Sunday Mirror Sport.

The Montenegrin striker insisted that City boss Pellegrini has got his selection wrong – and that he will now assess his future at the club.

Jovetic, a £22million recruit from Fiorentina 18 months ago, said: “I deserve to play in the Champions League. I know that. The manager has killed me with this decision. I feel I deserve my place and other people have told me the same.

“People have told me I am a great player, but it is clear that the manager doesn’t think the same way. I am very disappointed, even now. I don’t think it was a good decision – or the right decision.

(Image: Getty)

“I know that I deserve to be on the list. I told the manager this, but he didn’t want to listen to me. I came here to play in the Champions League.”

Jovetic, 25, who was attracting interest from Inter Milan last month and is now also on Juventus’ radar, added: “I have not made any decision about my future. I will wait until the summer then we will see. But the manager has put other players ahead of me, so maybe this is a message about what he wants to do.

“It is difficult to be focused when something like this happens, but I am a professional and I want to show that I can still play a big part this season. This is a bad time for me, but I am working hard and I will be there for the team.”

Jovetic featured in five of City’s six group games as the Premier League champions beat Bayern Munich and Roma to set up a last-16 clash with Barcelona next week.

But City have been operating with a reduced squad of 21 this season after falling foul of UEFA’s Financial Fair Play Regulations. And once Bony was added to the squad, there was always going to be a fall-guy.

In pictures: Manchester City beat Roma

Jovetic said: “I have spent all week thinking about it and when we play Barcelona I think it will be very difficult for me.

“I think I helped the team get through the group and, because of that, I am very unhappy that I am out.

“This year, every time I have played, I think I have done well. I have score five goals in the Premier League without having too many minutes on the pitch.

“I know that we can all have disappointments – that’s football – but I am hurting really bad right now.

“Of course, the squad has been made smaller, but the club knew this at the start of the season. I don’t feel I have had a chance. Okay, I have had injuries but so have other players.”