Roberto Mancini has warned Manchester City captain Carlos Tevez he has to prove his fitness before the FA Cup final.
The Argentina striker missed last weekend's semi-final win against former side Manchester United with a hamstring injury.
Tevez is now engaged in a race against time to dismiss doubts surrounding his fitness for the showpiece event against Stoke at Wembley on May 14.
He has opted to go to Italy to receive treatment from the Argentina team doctor as he bids to give himself every chance to overcome his injury.
City face Tottenham in the league four days before the final but Mancini maintains that if Tevez and fellow injured star Jerome Boateng cannot play in that match, then they will not play in the final.
"Tevez has decided he wants to be with the Argentinian physio for treatment," Mancini said. "I think he has confidence in his own physio. His injury is not easy to deal with and he always works with this physio so it is not unusual for this to happen.
"He is doing well and I hope we can have him available for the final but Carlos and Jerome will both have to play one game before the final."
City will be keen for their talismanic captain to return and add to his impressive 22-goal haul this season. He added: "I would have liked him (to play against Manchester United). I would have liked him on the pitch especially, but at this moment he has a bad injury and it is important for him to recover.
"He is there for treatment, morning and afternoon, with the physio. He will be [in Milan] seven to 10 days and then come back. We have another four weeks so I hope we can recover Carlos for the final. His progress has been good."
