Mario Balotelli has become a Premier League football legend in a very short time and not just because of his on-pitch antics of which there is no shortage. For some unknown reason, fans love to see characters in the sport rather than efficient automata performing on the field and unknown off it. And that trend makes Balotelli the most popular among fans of the game.
In this article, I look at the top five off-pitch controversies involving Manchester City’s star Italian striker in 2011:
Controversy #5: Balotelli Buys a Motorcycle and is Banned From Riding It: July 2011
The Italian ace bought a Harley Davidson and rode around Manchester before club manager Mancini found out. The player was immediately banned from riding the bike due to the risk of injury from it.
Controversy #4: Car impounded 27 times in first nine days: April 2011
The player set a record average of three parking offenses a day in the first nine days of driving his Maserati in England, keeping Man City club valets busy retrieving the car from police.
Controversy #3: Exceeds £300,000 in club fines: April 2011
Balotelli set a new Manchester City record for fines paid when he topped £300,000 after his most recent offense of throwing darts at the club’s youth players. He fired the missiles from a first-floor window of the club and, when questioned, said he did it because he was “bored.”
Controversy #2: Eat expensive curry for £150,000: December 2011
Balotelli, accompanied by friends, went out for curry late at night 48 hours before the crucial game against Chelsea, thus breaking a curfew imposed by Manchester City manager Mancini. The breach cost the star striker £150,000 or a week’s wages, making it the most expensive curry ever eaten in human history.
And the winner is:
Controversy #1: Set the House on Fire: October 2011
Mario Balotelli set his home on fire after launching fireworks in his bathroom early on the morning of Saturday, October 22, 2011. Two fire crews wearing breathing apparatus were summoned around 1 a.m. Saturday to Balotelli’s home. in Mottram St Andrew, Cheshire. The police were also summoned and his main challenge was to prevent the Manchester City striker from returning to his house to retrieve his belongings.
