Footballer Carlos Tevez hit out at his critics when he missed two matches to be with his wife after she gave birth to their premature baby, saying family ‘comes first’.

He then took the high ground against former England captain, love cheat John Terry, accusing him of having ‘no moral code’.

But Tevez, 26, should know that it’s never safe for people in glasshouses to throw stones, as it was revealed he spent a night with a ‘footballer-obsessed model’ on the day his newborn daughter was allowed home from hospital.

The Manchester City striker allegedly sneaked into Marina Paesani’s hotel room as his childhood sweetheart Vanesa nursed Katie, born six weeks early.

Vanesa, with whom Tevez has a four-year-old daughter, Florencia, had flown to Buenos Aires on February 9, but went into early labour four days later.

Tevez, who earns £100,000-a-week, made a frantic dash to be at his wife’s hospital bedside in his Argentinian home city for the baby’s arrival.

Linkl: Model Mariana Paesani was allegedly spotted with footballer Carlos Tevez

He was given compassionate leave by Man City as he stayed by Katie’s side for 12 days while she battled in intensive care, telling reporters as he headed back to the UK on Thursday, February 25: ‘I have lived the last few days only for my daughter.

‘Each day I was at the hospital to feed her. With family affairs, football takes a back seat.’

He then flew home for Man City’s game against Chelsea last Saturday and allegedly paid cash for a ticket for former football cheerleader Paesani – to whom he has been linked before - to join him to on his BA flight 246 to London.

He also arranged for her to be in the seat behind him in business class.

‘As soon as the doors were shut, he was turning around talking to her,’ a source on the flight told the Sunday Mirror.

Waiting for someone? Mariana Paesani at Buenos Aires airport after catching a flight from Madrid

Delay: Carlos Tevez leaves Buenos Aires airport five minutes after Paesani

‘After a while, she was sitting with him. They ended up all over each other like a love-struck young couple.’

The source also claims Paesani, 27, ended up sitting on Tevez’s lap while the pair kissed.

Clash: Carlos Tevez confronts John Terry during the Man City match against Chelsea

‘But when the flight landed, he raced off ahead,’ they added. ‘They seemed desperate not to be seen together.’

Paesani has previously spoken of her attraction to footballers.

‘I die for footballers. When I want a player I simply become a goddess. I cover myself with vanilla and chocolate essence so they want to eat me whole,’ she said.

‘I dream that they scratch me all over. I am insatiable with men.’

A source told the Sunday Mirror that the news would ‘devastate’ Vanesa, adding: ‘His wife is at home in Argentina recovering from a traumatic birth and he is in Europe with his lover with literally wads and wads of cash in his bag.

‘Poor Vanesa will be upset. She is at a low ebb after all she has been through and Carlos is still the love of her life.’

Last week, the £30million footballer launched an attack on Terry, who had an affair with Wayne Bridge’s former partner Vanessa Perroncel, saying: ‘He has no moral code.’

Tevez, who wore a ‘Team Bridge’ shirt after the scandal was exposed, also confronted Terry at the clash with Chelsea last week.

That night, Paesani was waiting in a London hotel room to meet Tevez and the couple jetted off to Munich for an Argentina friendly with Germany the following morning.

Again, they boarded separately, but ended up sitting together in business class, then avoided each other after the flight landed.

As Tevez trained for his match, Paesani went shopping – and the pair met later that night at the five-star Kempinski Hotel where she was staying – a short walk from the Argentinian team’s Mandarin Oriental.

The same day, his daughter, Katie – who was born by emergency caesarian weighing just 4lb - was allowed home from hospital.

On-off? Carlos and Vanesa Tevez together last year

At 2.20am last Thursday, Tevez was spotted entering the lobby of Paesani’s hotel wearing a hoodie. He got into the lift up to her room and knocked on her door. She answered then giggled as he stepped inside.

The couple emerged bleary-eyed the next morning for a flight to Madrid. A hotel source said they saw him pushing her distinctive zebra-print suitcase out of the reception area.

'Family first': Carlos Tevez arrives at Heathrow Airport from South America after spending time with his newborn daughter, Katie

After there, they flew back to Buenos Aires but left the airport five minutes apart.

An onlooker told The People: 'The girl walked out first and as she went through customs she was greeted by an older man, who she left with.

'Tevez came through about five minutes later.' He was later pictured with his newborn baby.

It is not the first time Tevez and Paesani have been linked.

They were accused of having a fling in 2008 when he was with Manchester United after being spotted holding hands.

Vanesa reportedly split with the footballer over the pictures, but they reconciled shortly after.

However, in a surprising twist, friends of Tevez have insisted that he split from Vanesa six months ago, while she was two months pregnant – despite her continuing to live with him in his £3million rented Cheshire mansion.

Last night from Buenos Aires, Tevez’s father Raimundo, told the Sunday Mirror the couple had not split.

‘Yes, they are still together,’ he said.

‘They are both in Argentina at their house, they were here yesterday.’

Tevez is expected back in Manchester tomorrow.