London: Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini played down the significance of his side's midweek trip to Abu Dhabi after they were humbled 2-0 at home by Middlesbrough in the FA Cup.


Manuel Pellegrini 

The Premier League champions, FA Cup finalists in two of the past four seasons, were well beaten on Saturday by a Middlesbrough side currently second in the division below them. City decided to take the seven-hour return flight from the Middle East on Friday and the squad were pictured leaving Manchester Airport at 2000 GMT, just 19 hours before kick-off against Middlesbrough.