I let myself down, admits Joey

Barton was banned for 12 matches by the Football Association following his red card and subsequent violent conduct in Queens Park Rangers' defeat at the Etihad Stadium on the last day of last season.

He has since been loaned out to Marseille and is looking to get his career back on track during his stint in France.

Reflecting on his actions in the match against City, Barton concedes that he handled the pressure of the occasion badly.

"I completely let myself down but it's not a rational situation. I knew we could be relegated, they could win the league and I'm captain," he told GQ Style.

"There's a bit of a media spotlight on me so if we go down, I'm going to take a lot of s***.

"I was already getting it on Twitter so pressure started building and I didn't handle it well.

"My inner chimp doesn't work well with injustice, it reacts too quickly. Tevez has done what he's done, I have reacted and the aftermath is..."

Barton recognises there is no justification for what he did but says the incident has focused his mind to try and improve as a person.

He explained: "I look at it now and it's almost like it's not me. I'm like 'What the **** were you thinking?'

"At the time in some weird way I thought it was the correct way but, looking at it now, I know it wasn't.

"I've got to learn a lesson from that. The thing it reiterated to me was just how far I am from the person I want to be."

Clubs to discuss spending limits

The league's top executives have produced a discussion paper on financial controls for the chairmen to consider which could eventually lead to clubs being forced to break even every year - or face sanctions.

It would mean a serious blow to clubs such as Manchester City and Chelsea who have return significant losses in recent years.

There is strong support at other clubs for such controls - Wigan chairman Dave Whelan on Wednesday said measures to cut spending were needed urgently, while Manchester United originally sparked the move at the league's meeting earlier in the summer.

No decision will be made on any measures on Thursday - instead two groups of 10 clubs, each with clubs mixed up to reflect size and region, are to be formed to discuss the options in more detail.

Whelan's own club Wigan have also operated at a loss - the Latics returned a net loss for the year ending May 2011 of 7.2million - but even he is in favour of the controls.

Whelan said: "This proposal has come from Manchester United - I think City haven shaken them up a little bit - but I think there should be some controls on spending.

"Some clubs are spending way more than they can afford and get into trouble - look at Portsmouth.

"The Premier League is so big and powerful and there is so much money around that the clubs try and chase it. Something has to be done so we will support these measures."

United's chief executive David Gill has been one of the driving forces behind European clubs accepting UEFA's financial fair play rules for clubs in the Champions League and Europa League to only spend what they earn, and he wants the Premier League to follow suit.

The Football League have also introduced a similar system into the Championship and Gill believes the top flight should bring in similar measures.

Gill said last week: "A lot of clubs would be happy just to introduce the financial fair play regula tions into the Premier League now, some wouldn't, but that's a debate that has to have happened. And it will happen.

"If you look at it we've got financial regulations in the league below us, the Championship, and the competition above us, the Champions League, so we need to do it.

"The Premier League being the best league in the world, the most commercially effective league in the world, I think there's a real opportunity to introduce some sensible rules that effectively improve and enhance the long term or medium term financial stability."

At least 12 of the 20 top-flight clubs ended the 2010/11 season in the red with Manchester City's losses of 197million dwarfing even Chelsea's 68million and Liverpool's 49million.

Critics of financial fair rules argue that it will forever favour those clubs such as Manchester United and Arsenal who make a profit and rule out wealthy benefactors such as Roman Abramovich and Sheikh Mansour putting money into clu bs.

Barton to serve remainder of ban

Barton was issued with the ban as a result of his actions on the final day of last season, when he was sent off for a clash with Manchester City forward Carlos Tevez and responded by lashing out at City players Sergio Aguero and Vincent Kompany before attempting to confront Mario Balotelli.

He was frozen out upon Rangers' return for pre-season training and was not even offered a squad number for the new season, prompting his move abroad.

But any hopes that he might avoid serving his ban after moving to a new country have been dashed by a statement from the French League, the LFP, tonight.

The statement, published on both the LFP and Marseille's websites, read: "Upon the transfer of Joey Barton from Queens Park Rangers to Olympique Marseille, the English Football Association transmitted to the French Football Federation the disciplinary sanction he was subject to in the English league.

"In accordance with article 12 of FIFA's Regulations for the Status and Transfer of Players, the sanction is applicable in France.

"Consequently Joey Barton, having served three of his 12-match suspension [in England], is suspended for the next nine games in domestic competition (Ligue 1 and the Coupe de la Ligue)."

The FIFA regulation cited in the statement reads: "Any disciplinary suspension imposed on a player prior to a transfer must be enforced or applied by the new association at which the player is registered.

"The former association is obliged to notify the new association of any sanction in writing and upon issuing the ITC (International Transfer Certificate)."

October 7's grudge match with bitter rivals Paris Saint-Germain is the highest-profile game Barton will miss.

He will also sit out Ligue 1 games against Nancy, Evian, Valenciennes, Troyes, Lyon, Ajaccio and Nice as well as OM's entry into the Coupe de la Ligue in the last 16.

But he will be available for Europa League grou p games against Fenerbahce, AEL and Borussia Monchengladbach twice in the meantime.

Diakite: I'm not depressed

Queens Park Rangers midfielder Samba Diakite has returned home to France suffering with depression.

The 23-year-old started QPR's first two Premier League games of the season but missed last weekend's defeat to Manchester City without any explanation.

Diakite has made 11 appearances for the Hoops since arriving on loan in January before the club completed the permanent signing of the former Nancy man on a four-year deal in June.

It is thought the Malian international has been given a ten-day leave of absence by Mark Hughes and it is not yet clear whether he will be available for his side's clash with Chelsea a week on Saturday.

Depression in football has become a major issue with a number of players and managers battling the problem in recent years.

Diakite returned home to France nearly two weeks ago and on Friday it was suggested that his absence was due to his battle with depression.

However, the 23-year-old Mali internatio nal had been granted compassionate leave to deal with a delicate personal matter and has already resumed training with QPR.

"Frankly, I do not understand why some people start rumours like that," Diakite told RMC Sport. "I was a bit tired in the last few days and my club allowed me to spend three days in Paris. But I am not depressed.

"My club are my employers and I was in contact with them every day.

"All of a sudden I wake up this morning, open the newspapers and learn that someone has said that I am depressed. This is ridiculous and disappointing.

"I am currently in London and I have been to training, so this is amazing.

"It saddens me because I received calls from concerned members of my family.

"Fortunately I am a strong character as this could have had serious consequences for someone who is weak.

"I want to assure my friends and fans of QPR that I will be at training on Monday with the rest of the group and all is well. "

Diakite played in the opening two matches of the season, but missed Saturday's 3-1 defeat by Manchester City.

QPR manager Mark Hughes announced in a statement released last Thursday that Diakite had been given some time off.

"We hope he can overcome this very quickly and get back to being the outstanding player that he undoubtedly is," Hughes said.

"In the meantime, we are giving him the time and help that he needs."

Diakite arrived at Loftus Road on loan from Nancy in January and helped QPR avoid relegation by scoring the winning goal in their 2-1 victory over Arsenal in March.

The transfer was made permanent in June with the defensive midfielder, who was born in France but has won five caps for Mali, costing in the region of 3.5million.

QPR have high target - Beard

Manager Mark Hughes bought enough players to field an entire new team before the August window shut after Rangers avoided the Premier League trap door by the skin of their teeth last season.

The recruits included several big-name players and Beard told London 24: "We haven't made the investment of this summer to simply compete at the same level as last season.

"The investment has been made so that we feel we are a club which can compete against - and beat - every club we play.

"We all believe that the squad we have now should be able to get stability in the Premier League - not fighting for survival."

Beard played down fears QPR had spent beyond their means, especially on wages.

He said: "Some clubs have spent 12million or 15million on one player. You would struggle to get that sort of number for all the players we have signed.

"What we have done is strike a balance. I have looked at it long and hard, and there are some very t alented young players we have brought to the club who I think will be available for a long time to come."

The summer transfer window was QPR's third in a row that witnessed a huge influx of players but Beard was confident such a turnover would not be repeated.

He also defended the decision to sign goalkeeper Julio Cesar from Inter Milan barely two months are recruiting England's Robert Green.

"The club now has two very strong goalkeepers, and Mark will decide which one plays when," he said.

"It wasn't something in his mind, that Julio Cesar could come to the club a very sensible way, and we decided to take that opportunity. The best teams have strength in every position."

Platt: City yet to hit stride

City are yet to hit their stride but have still collected seven points from the opening three games of their title defence.

Their latest victory, a 3-1 success over QPR at the Etihad Stadium, was far less convincing than it threatened to be as City dominated the first half.

Roberto Mancini's men created a multitude of chances but were wasteful in front of goal and endured a nervy finish until Carlos Tevez scored their third in injury time.

First-team coach Platt said: "We are not over-happy in terms of performances at this moment in time but we are happy it is balanced out by the points we have got on the table and that we are scoring goals.

"It's not that we are not playing well but I don't think we are playing as well as we were at the start of last season when we were blowing teams away.

"We are not quite there with the squad in terms of fitness, because of the European Championship people coming back.

"We are almost using these games to get minutes into people's legs.

"I think after the international break Gareth Barry will have played another reserve game and had another couple of weeks' 'pre-season' training, Sergio (Aguero) will be there or thereabouts and we have got the new faces coming in.

"The international games will give David Silva another couple of games.

"There are players there almost still in the pre-season phase but playing games for real.

"You'd like to think by the time we get back through the door in 10 days' time we'll be in position to kick on as a squad."

All City had to show for their first-half dominance was a Yaya Toure strike but they continued to threaten after the break with QPR goalkeeper Robert Green kept busy and Pablo Zabaleta hitting the bar.

But as with last season's dramatic climax at the same stadium, QPR hit back as Bobby Zamora pounced from close range after Joe Hart kept out a fine effort from Andrew Johnson.

Edin Dzeko put City back ahead almost immediately but the hosts were made to sweat before Tevez struck as Ryan Nelsen twice had opportunities.

Platt said: "We perhaps didn't have enough energy in our side to open them up on a conclusive basis.

"When we did that we weren't ruthless enough. To go in 1-0 at half-time we felt quite comfortable but at the same time knew the game was always open, which proved the case in the second half."

Having signed 12 players since their last visit to Eastlands 16 weeks ago, QPR were a much-changed side from the one which narrowly avoided relegation in May.

They are still to win a match this term but after causing the champions some difficulties, manager Mark Hughes is convinced progress is being made.

The former City boss said: "We have to remember we were in the backyard of the champions.

"We came and pressed and we imposed ourselves on a very good team. I'm pleased with that.

"It is someth ing we can build on and take comfort from. It is important we keep on building and progressing in the right way.

"That's what happened here and we'll be better for it.

"I was encouraged by what I saw. It is progress from what we have produced so far this season."

Midfielder Esteban Granero, signed from Real Madrid in midweek, made an impressive debut while other recent recruits Julio Cesar, Sam Magri and Stephane Mbia should be available after the international break.

Hughes' squad has swelled so much he could not find places for Clint Hill or Adel Taarabt at City.

Hughes said: "We've got a lot of guys in the squad and everybody's fit at the moment. It's hard to fit everybody on the bench.

"We had to legislate for the fact we had two guys in the middle of the park who might have to be changed. I had to cover myself in that regard so unfortunately they didn't make the bench.

"But that's healthy. It shows we have more strength i n depth in the squad than we had last year."

Defender Anton Ferdinand was substituted in the second half after earlier landing awkwardly on his shoulder.

Hughes said: "He was a bit shaken up at the time and landed on his shoulder.

"It might have popped out and popped back in but we don't think it is too serious."

Hughes: Green could leave

Hughes surprised many when he pulled off the signing of Brazil goalkeeper Julio Cesar from Inter Milan this week.

The 32-year-old will now become first choice at Loftus Road, relegating Green after unconvincing displays in his first two games for the club.

Green, who signed on a free transfer from West Ham this summer, is likely to fear his for his international career if he cannot wrest the number one jersey back from Cesar.

"In the future if any of my keepers came to me and said they felt their future lay elsewhere then we can have a conversation about that and make a decision that benefited everyone," Hughes said.

Green, who has represented England 12 times, may well feel aggrieved that he is second choice a few weeks after arriving to replace Paddy Kenny, who left for Leeds.

But his performances in the 5-0 defeat to Swansea and 1-1 draw against Norwich were way below par.

Hughes insists that Green fully understands the dec ision to sign Cesar and claims it was always his intention to bring in another goalkeeper before the transfer window shut.

"It's important that Rob doesn't feel that this was a knee-jerk reaction," Hughes said.

"I was told there was a possibility that Julio Cesar would look favourably on coming to Queens Park Rangers so we tried to pursue it.

"We managed it and that will obviously have some impact on Rob because there will be competition for him.

"He understands that but he has been a top keeper for a long time and I'm sure he will be ready for that challenge. Whoever is out of the team knows he will have to work hard to get back in the side.

"Rob fully understands the thinking behind what we have done although it might impact him throughout the season."

Green will at least start Saturday's game against Manchester City because Cesar has not received international clearance to play.

One man who is available is Esteban Granero, who signed from Real Madrid on Thursday night.

Hughes was happy to snap up the 25-year-old midfielder and revealed the club were close to signing the player in January.

"He wanted to come in January but Real Madrid got an injury a couple of days before we were supposed to conclude it so they didn't let him out," Hughes said.

"He's going to be a good player for us. He has been brought up at a top club since he was nine and having been at Real Madrid has values and standards."