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Manchester City to play in South Africa

MANCHESTER City have announced they will be the latest English Premiership side to travel to South Africa this winter.

The club released a statement yesterday confirming they will be in the country for two dates "against top PSL sides", the second in Durban on July 18 to mark the birthday of former President Nelson Mandela.

It is the second time that the side will tour the country after they were involved in the 2009 Vodacom Challenge competition against Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates.

The club say their opponents have yet to be confirmed, though the tour follows a similar pattern to last year when Manchester United took on AmaZulu at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban before a clash with Ajax Cape Town in the Mother City.

"South Africa's love of football was clear during both the World Cup and most recently the Africa Cup of Nations," said Tom Glick, chief commercial and operating officer at City.

"We are very excited to bring Manchester City closer to the South African community and our rapidly growing global fan-base.

"This will be a fantastic tournament, and I speak for the full squad when I say how pleased we are to visit this wonderful country.

"Not only are the training facilities fantastic, but we have already seen the fans' passion first-hand from our previous visit in 2009 and look forward to July 2013."

Liverpool have already been confirmed for a match in Cape Town on May 21, while Everton and Newcastle are said to be in advanced talks to tour South Africa in July as well.

City relinquished their English Premiership crown to bitter rivals Manchester United this season, but could lift the FA Cup when they take on Wigan Athletic in the final on Saturday.

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