When Mario Balotelli is somewhere, it feels like something crazy isn’t far away.
The Italian striker was renowned for his antics on and off the field throughout his crazy career.
He infamously let off fireworks in his bathroom the day before the Manchester derby in 2011, before scoring a goal in the game and unveiling a shirt that said “Why always me?”
‘I feel very sorry people didn’t see all his ability’: Manchester City legend Yaya Toure on Mario Balotelli
He arrived at Manchester City the same summer as Yaya Toure, with both players going on to be pivotal in winning the clubs first Premier League title in 2012.
Toure has explained what it was like to have Balotelli as a teammate in an appearance on Rio Ferdinand’s podcast, Rio Ferdinand Presents.
“When Balotelli arrived, it was a big mess. A lot of problems,” he said. “You’re always going to have it with Balotelli. Definitely. At some point, to be honest.
“Because he was that guy where you have to be… he’s nice, guys. You know, very kind. But at some point, when his head goes off, he goes off, you know. And sometimes he’s unfortunate, to be honest. Because he’s… I love him, yeah. He’s innocent all the time.
“He’s always innocent in the things. But when the thing happens, he’s on it. You know, he’s involved. And sometimes I was surprised.
“‘Mario, you were sitting there. How do you end up sitting there? Any other problem in there? Go back and you’ll see’. He said, ‘Yeah, I don’t know.'”
Toure also cleared the air over an alleged argument the two had over a decade ago while losing to Sunderland, a game they managed to draw 3-3 on their way to the Premier League title
He told Ferdinand: “They said I fought with Mario at Swansea and against Sunderland. That shocked me. My lawyers called me about this, and it was the first I knew about it.
“To say we had a fight is very sad. It upset me, and I feel sorry for Mario. He suffers most from these things. At half-time against Sunderland, it was very difficult. But everybody was quiet.
“We were just looking at each other, trying to find a way to turn the result. But I didn’t even talk to Mario. The next day, he sent me a text message saying, ‘Apparently, we had a fight’. I just want to stop people writing and thinking that.”
Toure, ranked at no.5 FourFourTwo’s list of the best African footballers ever, also explained that he believes that the Manchester City team could have done more to help Balotelli whilst he was at the club.
“Even we players, we failed him at some point, you know,” he acknowledged.
“Because he can make mistakes. He can take wrong cards. He can do wrong things. But we have to be able to look after him most of the time. But we didn’t do that. But me, myself, as I know about Mario, I know when he’s coming to get on some point of his games, you have to be like coming hungry or nervous.
“It’s like people are. Because when you’re too relaxed and happy, he’s not going to do nothing, you know. You have to push him and make him angry at some point to take all this out from him, you know. And for me, Balotelli, of course, I feel very sorry people didn’t see all this ability.
“Because in training, we’ve been seeing so incredible ability there, you know-dribbling, shooting, being able to shoot from the middle back sometimes to score goals. Because he had that crazy shot on him.
“His power and his feet. And he’s quite fast and he’s a good dribbler. People will see him a little bit like that…a bit like [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic, you know – the craziness. And the ability as well on the pitch.”
Balotelli provided the assist to the famous Sergio Aguero goal that clinched the Premier League title, one of just two assists he provided in the league for Manchester City.
