Balotelli feels Mancini's wrath after bad challenge on Tevez in training
By Chris Wheeler
Last updated at 9:45 AM on 2nd April 2011
Mario Balotelli was involved in another unsavoury incident yesterday just hours after Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini claimed that the wayward striker had promised to clean up his act.
Balotelli went into a heavy and poorly-timed challenge on top-scorer Carlos Tevez in training and was confronted by Mancini, who was seen wagging his finger angrily at the 20-year-old as he reprimanded him for his latest loss of control.
Tevez stayed out of the row and City sources suggested that the flashpoint would have been largely ignored had it not involved a clash of the club's most controversial figure and their most important player.
Hot head: Mario Balotelli receives a lecture from Roberto ManciniEarlier Mancini faced the media for the first time since fining Balotelli over his senseless sending-off against Dynamo Kiev last month and defended his £24million signing, saying the 10-goal striker had assured him he would behave in future.
'I don't regret bringing him here,' said Mancini. 'Mario is a fantastic player. He is only 20, sometimes his behaviour is not good enough. But I think his behaviour in the future will be good.
'He knows this could be a fantastic experience for him here in England. He can be one of the best players in Europe. Everything Mario does becomes big news. If he goes into a restaurant and speaks with a woman, it is said that maybe five woman speak with him. It's news.'
Fed up: Mancini has had to defend Balotelli on numerous occasionsCity face Sunderland at home tomorrow in a fixture that saw Mark Hughes's last stand as manager last season. Although Mancini's situation is not nearly as critical, he once again faced questions over what would happen if he fails to deliver Champions League football or that long-awaited trophy to the City fans.
'I have a three-year contract,' he said. 'We don't want to finish fourth, we want to finish third if possible.'
But he was dealt another blow last night after it emerged that right back Pablo Zabaleta is unlikely to be back in time from compassionate leave at home in Argentina, where his father has had a serious car accident.
Read more:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1372526/Mario-Balotelli-Roberto-Mancini-training-tackle-Carlos-Tevez.html#ixzz1IR4WUshx
