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Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini offers thanks to outgoing Pope Benedict XVI

By: The Associated Press

Posted: 02/24/2013 12:20 PM | Comments: 0 | Last Modified: 02/24/2013 1:05 PM

Pope Benedict XVI touches his face during his last Angelus noon prayer, from the window of his studio overlooking St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013. Benedict XVI gave his pontificate's final Sunday blessing from his studio window to the cheers of tens of thousands of people packing St. Peter's Square, but sought to reassure the faithful that he wasn't abandoning the church by retiring to spend his final years in prayer. The 85-year-old Benedict is stepping down on Thursday evening, the first pope to do so in 600 years, after saying he no longer has the mental or physical strength to vigorously lead the world's 1.2 billion Catholics. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)

MANCHESTER, England - Clawing back a huge deficit in the Premier League title race hasn't been the only thing on Roberto Mancini's mind.

The Manchester City manager made the unusual move of beginning his post-match news conference on Sunday after a 2-0 victory over Chelsea by thanking outgoing Pope Benedict XVI for his eight years of service.

Hours earlier, Benedict had bestowed his final Sunday blessing of his pontificate on a cheering crowd in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican. On Thursday, he will become the first pope to have resigned from the papacy in 600 years.

"For us, it is the last Sunday for our pope and I would like to say thank you to this pope for what he did in eight years," Mancini said.

Mancini, a Catholic, visited the holy village of Medjugorje in Bosnia during the run-in to last season's league title, which City won on the final day.

City is 12 points behind Manchester United with 11 games remaining this season.

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