Hughes, Mancini's predecessor, returns to the Etihad Stadium with his new side on Sunday for a match that has major implications at the top and bottom of the Premier League.
Victory for City would secure a first title for 44 years but anything less would open the door for great rivals Manchester United to reclaim the crown, and they face a QPR side anxious for points.Rangers need to avoid defeat to be sure of avoiding relegation without relying on other results and, given the manner of his departure from City in 2009, it is felt Hughes has double incentive to succeed.But Mancini, whose managerial style has been criticised by Hughes in the past, insists footballing matters are all that are relevant.
The Italian said: "This is not important - on Sunday we play Manchester City against QPR.
"For me, they are a good team, they don't deserve to stay at the bottom.
"They want to do everything to stay in the Premier League and for this reason I think it will be a tough game.
"I don't know him very well but it is not Mancini against Hughes or Hughes against Mancini. It is City against QPR.
"One team plays for the title, the other plays for (to avoid) relegation."
City lead the table on goal difference from United heading into the final fixture and know, with an advantage of eight under that criteria, they effectively control their own destiny.
Despite the obvious pressures on the management and players as they hope to end the 44-year wait for the title, the Italian has insisted that there has been no tension in training this week.
He said: "It is a normal week, without problem, without injury. We have worked well.
"The players are very well. I think maybe tomorrow, Saturday, we can have pressure – I don't know – because it is the last game, but it doesn't change our situation.
"We need to play another difficult game. We need only to have focus about the game."
Hughes, meanwhile, insists survival rather than revenge is his only motivation.
"I am not at all surprised it has come to this given the way the season has panned out from our point of view and many other clubs," the Welshman said.
"There have been so many ups and downs, twists and turns - it has been quite remarkable.
"Here we are now with so many issues on the last day of the season still to be resolved. It is going to be an exciting weekend.
"People keep throwing that word [revenge] up but it is not in my mind at all.
"From my point of view I am completely focused on what we have to do as you would expect.
"We have got a huge game and huge challenge. It is not going to be easy as Manchester City are an outstanding football team.
"The prize they are going for is obviously the ultimate prize and for us to deny them the opportunity to do that will be difficult.
"Everybody acknowledges that but the fact that this season has been so unpredictable means you can never say that a result is a given.
"That is certainly not how we're thinking and we intend to go there to get the points we need to be safe."
Former Man City chief executive Garry Cook will return to the club for the first time since resigning from his post in September to watch their attempt to end their 44-year wait for the Premier League title.
Cook will be at the Etihad Stadium as City take on QPR in the final match of the season in his first match since leaving over claims he emailed defender Nedum Onuoha's cancer-suffering mother mocking her illness.
Onuoha will be in the QPR ranks on Sunday having joined the club during the January transfer window.
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