The Fantabulous Adventures of Mario Balotelli

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

In honour of the most interesting footballer to ever walk these shores.

In May:

Mario Balotelli 'takes truant boy back to school and gives bullies ticking off'

Manchester City star Mario Balotelli has displayed his less-seen compassionate side by helping a young boy to overcome problems with a school bully, according to reports.

The youngster was hanging around outside City's Carrington training ground and asked the maverick striker for his autograph, but Balotelli was more interested in why the little scamp was wagging school.

Mario Balotelli insisted on helping one boy beat a bully. (PA)

After the child told him he was being bullied, Balotelli immediately drove the boy and his mother to the school in question to give the bully a ticking off.

The Italian international then demanded to see the headmaster to make him aware of the issue, and even mediated as the two boys were sat down to resolve their differences.

A source is quoted by one paper as saying: 'Mario feels strongly about bullying and thinks it's out of order.

'He had no qualms about sorting the mess out as he felt the lad should not be missing out on school.'

Despite courting controversy on and off the pitch throughout his first season in the Premier League, Balotelli has occasionally displayed something of a Good Samaritan streak.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

In April:

Mario Balotelli gives £1,000 to homeless man after big casino win

Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli has given £1,000 to a homeless man after a big casino win.

The controversial star pocketed a cool £25,000 while gambling in Manchester's 235 Casino and was keen to share his winnings with someone less fortunate, according to the Sun.

After a big casino win, Mario Balotelli gave a homeless man £1,000 (PA).

A source told the newspaper: 'There's a guy he always sees around town with ginger dreadlocks and a beard. He carries his possessions in two carrier bags.

'He was outside the club in the early hours so Mario handed him a wad of notes after his big win. The tramp couldn't believe his luck. It was enough to keep him going for months.'

In contrast to the bad-boy persona Balotelli has developed through strops, tantrums, insults and red cards since his £24 million move from Inter Milan last summer, it seems that this kind of behaviour is typical of the 20-year-old Italian.

'Mario is really generous. He always hands £20 notes to the Big Issue boys without even taking the magazine,' the source added.

Although Balotelli may be a good Samaritan as far as Manchester's homeless community is concerned, it seems some of the city's nightclub staff see him slightly differently.

Earlier this month, the same paper reported that the City striker had his Maserati car attacked by bouncers he had 'tormented' outside a lap-dancing club.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

July:

talian footballer Mario Balotelli has hired a £3,000-a-week chauffeur as he was fed with having to keep paying out for fines.

The 20-year-old Manchester City striker, who earns £100,000-a-week, was reported to have paid out £10,000 in parking fines alone last year. In addition, the sports man had to visit the car pound on 27 different occasions over the last 12 months to retrieve his vehicles after they were taken in by the authorities for different reasons.

As well as being hit with driving fines, the footballer’s much loved Maserati sports car has been the subject of attacks by vandals when parked outside of his home in the Deansgate area of Manchester.

The footie ace has had to shell out thousands of pounds on repair work on his car following the attacks and so made the decision to put his own vehicles into secure storage and to hire a chauffeur permanently to help him get about.

Following the catalogue of mishaps associated with car ownership which have befallen the soccer ace, the Manchester City player hopes his move to hire a chauffeur on a full-time basis will help him stay out of trouble this year.

The former Inter-Milan footballer is now being chauffeured around in a Mercedes limo provided by local private hire company, Elite Cars.

[Summers]

Great story about the boy and the bully.

[FLiam]

The best one by far;

Mario Balotelli had reason to be worried.

Within a couple of weeks of arriving in a new ­country, Manchester City’s £22million signing was caught up in a car smash.

The young Italian was heading to City’s training ground in his Audi R8 eight days ago when the ­incident happened.

The police raced to the scene, breathalysed ­Balotelli and interviewed him. The breath test was negative, but the police demanded to know why a 20-year-old, who speaks faltering English, was ­carrying £5,000 cash in his back pocket.

Balotelli’s response was honest: “Because I am rich.”

Ironically, the other driver involved in the Balotelli crash has been a City season ticket ­holder for 25 years.

Now Mario, be smart and don’t carry all that cash around with you in future.

And then can't be a Balotelli thread without

Edited July 9, 2011 by Gooner27

[DavidMarrio]

The guys a legend haha it's like there is the good Balotelli giving money to the homeless and the story about the bullys a really nice thing to hear considering he didn't have to do anything whatsoever and took the time to do that, then there is the bad Balotelli kicking people etc haha

[The Quasi Juice]

Not being able to put on a training thingy makes him a slight retard. I also remember he once put on an AC Milan shirt because someone gave him one in a restaurant, despite being an Inter player... I think he also used to (or maybe he still does) park his car directly in front of the door of the training ground because he didn't want to walk too far. Legend.

[Starvinho]

I must admit I did think he was a legend turning up for a match wearing this;

Best hat ever!

[Lineker]

The boy is delightfullt batshit mental.

[Pesci]

I fucking love Balotelli. People are like "oh he's such a prick", but I really don't give a fuck. He's stupidly entertaining and outrageously talented, and all in all he's just batshit crazy. And stuff like sorting out a kid's bully problems automatically makes him a legend. I know all footballers do charity work but how many would personally drive down there without any prompt and stand there while the two lads talked it out? Classy.

[Cymbols]

Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli was taken off early in a friendly at LA Galaxy after his manager thought he was failing to take the match seriously.

The 20-year-old was clear on goal but, instead of shooting, opted to drag the ball back before backheeling it wide.

"I hope this is a lesson," said boss Roberto Mancini, who denied Balotelli may have thought that he was offside.

"If you [balotelli] are serious, you can play 90 minutes. If not, you can come and sit by me on the bench."

City earned a third victory on their pre-season tour of the United States, winning the game 7-6 on penalties after it had finished 1-1, but the match was overshadowed by Balotelli's actions, which prompted jeers from the crowd at the Home Depot Center.

Mancini argued with Balotelli as the forward, who prior to being hauled off had scored a penalty, left the pitch.

Balotelli threw his water bottle to the floor after eventually sitting in the dug-out, though he did not appear to watch the second half.

"In football you always need to be professional, always serious and in this moment he wasn't professional," added Mancini

"He needs to understand his behaviour has to be good in every game - not just in a final or a semi-final but every game.

"He knows he made a mistake. Football should always be serious and if you have a chance to score, you should score.

"Mario is young, I want to help him and that is the end of it. To take him off after 30 minutes is enough punishment. It won't have been easy for him but it has to be a lesson."

When asked what Balotelli said to him as they exchanged words on the side of the pitch, Mancini said: "It was in Italian. In English I would find it difficult to give you the translation. But Mario is streetwise, he knows he was not offside."

[Gazz]

Mario gets subbed for attempting a Mortal Kombat reverse sweep but Joe Hart is the hero when he does a Hadouken.

Double standards.

[TheGreatJ]

[EddieG]

Looking at that, he actually reacted like someone who thought he was offside.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

I'm 100% behind Balotelli here. It's a FRIENDLY. Mancini moaning on after the game about players always needing to be serious - so much for the best teams playing their football with a smile and high spirits. He'd have been better to have a word after the game.

If it had gone in then everyone would have been drooling over it.

Hell, if it had been Henry, Ronaldo or Messi trying it then people would have loved it.

....and yes you can tell he know's it's offside.

Also, who's the commentator? "That's the kind of guy I want to work for..." Arsehole.

[Dynamite]

I love Mario. He's probably the only City player I even remotely like. People are always crying out that football needs more 'characters' but when one comes along, they complain the stuff he does is disrespectful to the game. If anything, I don't think there's enough showboating in football and we should applaud someone having fun playing the game, especially in a friendly match.

[Matt]

Eh, I think he thought he was offside, if not then that is a bit retarded, friendly or not. I still love him either way though.

[Clawson]

Also, who's the commentator? "That's the kind of guy I want to work for..." Arsehole.

Taylor Twellman. Former MLS striker. Spent the whole match whining about everything City did while making the Galaxy seem like gods. He actually said "if the Galaxy try in the second half they should easily get a positive result".

[IAceI]

I actually like most of the American commentators I've heard while watching the MLS and friendly matches. They call it as it is, take no shit for diving, but don't drone on and on about it. (Was watching Europsort U19 Euro Champs yday and the bloke seemed to think it was his duty when to say whether or not he felt the ref got it right).

They do get a little pro-USA teams at times, which is understandable, and come out with some interesting comments "head pass" being one of my favourites, but ultimately I find them relatively engaging and with a good understanding.

Mind you I didn't watch the Balotelli game, so couldn't pass comment, and yes it was just a friendly so probably not worth getting in a fuss about (especially as Man City have several more games to get their match sharpness back, this was very much "back from Mauritus and need a run around" so a bit over the top from Mancini).

Balotelli

[Cheeky Hughes]

I hope Balotelli stays at Manchester City forever and then takes on a managerial role when he retires, just to see this beautiful train wreck last forever. The Premier League needs characters, and right now Mario is the best one they have. I can't not love this gloriously insane bastard.