International friendlies aren't exactly intense affairs or even matches that count for anything, but even friendlies have limits on what you should and shouldn't do.
Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli learned that the hard way after taking a wide-open scoring chance and throwing it away by trying an absurd spin and back-heel shot rather than burying an easy scoring chance. The result was a wasted chance and City manager Roberto Mancini embarrassing Balotelli by immediately subbing him out in the 30th minute.
No, it's not the first incident to leave us questioning Balotelli's thinking, but it was still pretty shocking.
Take a look for yourself:
What did you think of the play? Glad to see Mancini yank Balotelli?
Share your thoughts below.
But it can buy a few championship trophies and a UEFA Champions league winners medal
In football (grid iron) we used to say “light out”, “no one at home” or “out on his feet”
Taylor almost burst a vein in his neck over Gael coming back in.
I loved it. I thought it was hilarious. This sport needs more characters.
Didn’t see the match. No news regarding De Jong breaking any legs or karate kicking anyone, so that’s good news.
I think Balotelli was surely inspired by that back-heel penalty that other guy tried in– was it UAE football? — so, he is an idiot!
better than listening to those guys doing commentary
I wouldnt have that clown in a Chelsea locker room, Chelsea has enough head cases. Plus Chelsea has way too many forwards that are way better than him.
Honestly Balotelli’s lack of hustle isn’t what irks me its his attitude toward the game and especially his attitude toward others that irks me.
I am not going to lose my mind about him mainly because in 2 years I probably won’t remember him while he finishes his career in some obscure league in Asia I don’t ever watch.
Probably a good idea to sub him out after showing up the opponent like that, but I think most of you are overreacting. It’s a meaningless game. Clint Dempsey tried a rabona for no reason in a competitive match and ended up giving away possession. I didn’t see anyone calling for his head or labeling him “classless”.
I’ve never read a positive blog from any English journalist about Mario, and most of Italians don’t care for him, in fact a lot hate him. And yes he didn’t play a key part in the inter squad, but in his house sits a few winners metals. So again, he is what he all want to be, but we all can’t stand the fact that Balotelli doesn’t try as hard (in pure hustle) as Alexi Lalas, Eric Lichaj or Jay DeMerit. And that urks you. Balotelli is a clownf for sure. But i am not losing my mind. I am not going to blow my top and call him classless cause he attempted a backheal finish against LA’s 2nd string. The classles thing in my view is MLS squeezing money from fans by forcing them to over pay to watch a bunch of half interested European squads fart around.
I view this in context of who Balotelli is. If this was the only dumb thing he ever did then fine. But he has done several dumb things before and even after being subbed out acted very immature. I am sure we are in for more of the usual with him.
As a Chelsea fan we will GLADLY take him, hard for a player to grow and mature in a circus atmosphere.
C’mon man, it’s just a friendly. If Balotelli does this in a meaningful game then people have a right to get so upset.
Yeah your right. A magical comeback in the 2005 champions league surely paints over the last 20 years of domestic failures. Oh they won the FA Cup against West Ham, my bad. As soon as Dabglish realizes his squad is average he’ll bail like he did before. Long live the king… Delusions suck.
Yeah I am sure without Balotelli Inter doesn’t win the Champions league lets give him all the credit in the world for that. (Check how many Champions league minutes he actually played that year). The truth is winning a youth player award is the only thing that can be considered HIS accomplishment but that doesn’t mean his career will ever be more then it is now which is not much.
I am not talking about YOU specifically writing something here. I am talking about people like you that support his antics and keep him quasi relevant despite the fact he doesn’t actually play much. I especially mean people involved in this sport as their profession. Take it down a notch unless you are just as big a narcissist as Balotelli.
+1. I don’t know about Balotelli watching the PK video, but whoever that was must have watched the video of Lenhart’s classless move on Saunders. Josh was ready to slam the ball right back at him too, but thought better of it.
Kudos to Perk btw for a pretty solid performance in goal. Not too many MLS teams can claim four good goalies on their roster.
Man City- no class. Besides Balotelli, who was it Richards, that slammed the goalie on an offsides. A-hole move. Hit on Clichy was no foul. Can’t wait to see them get killed in the premiership this year without Tevez.
I think he thought he was offside so decided to entertain the crowd, or himself. Probably the latter. Then he got mad when Mancini pulled him.
LOL
Cool if it were a pickup game or a testimonial game.
Not cool in a pre-season friendly when your on a team trying to win trophies and compete in Europed
Manny Ramirez looks like a model citizen compared to some of the antics this guy pulls
The point is…Worry about whether they call you offside after you put in the back of the net.
lol
Yep. This isn’t a pickup game. Act like a professional.
I cannot stand Liverpool, but you have to be a complete idiot to say that a team that has reached the champs league final…winning one after being down 3 nill, hasn’t been important since the 80s.
Money can’t buy class.
? Does no one else think he thought he was offside? Thats what it looked like to me.
Just to throw this out there. He won two Italian Leagues and was part of the Inter squad that won the Champions League. He also collected the FIFA Young Player of the World last year. I am not even a Balotelli fan, or a City fan, (I support DC and Man U) but I am not going to condem him for goofing off in a stupid game against the Galaxy. All am saying is if there is ever a time to try that it was then.
And yes, I am sure Balotelli is going to come read this blog tonight to build support for his case against Mancini. Thanks to my anomous post, Balotelli will continue to act the way he does, plus the children of the future. My bad.
We don’t all hate Balotelli because we are jealous of his talent that is ridiculous. Every player in this game I have ever liked has far more talent then me on my best day.
Balotelli is just not a very likable guy he hasn’t achieved anything of significance in this game yet acts as if he has and what worse is people like you then justify that behavior so he keeps doing it. At this rate I would be surprised if Balotelli ever becomes a regular starter at any big club because when you play like that it hard for any coach in his right mind to want him.
Stupid, stupid decision by Citeh to bring him in. It’s sad when somebody such as myself, who while is very informed, knows almost nothing compared to the major scouts ad upper management of a team as big as city, and can see that he was a bad signing immediately.
You’re basically admitting that you’re the cancer on the team you play for. Have fun with that.
really?
In other news from the game…
Twellman’s wearing a normal size shirt.
Frankie Hejduk looks like caveman construction worker.
Or course Suarez also graced the Copa America with shameless diving in every game. Stop letting your Liverpool bias shine in bashing Balotelli. Both players disgrace the game, stop using this board to talk up a club that hasn’t been important since the 1980s.
We all hate Balotelli cause we are just upset he has the talent we all wish we had and are upset he is so casual and careless with it. Rather than just accepting that we have to be jealous, angry and bitter. Just let the guy do him. And at some point the game has to be fun, and if you can’t attempt a stupid finish against a MLS team in a meaningless friendly. What’s the point?
It wasn’t funny. It was classless crap, disrepect to the game, his teammates and opponenets.
Dear Balotelli,
You’re a c–t.
Signed,
City Fan
But they did get a bit upset by the whole thing.
Agreed on people lightening up.. Don’t blame Mancini for pulling him, but I for one watch these friendlies for entertainment. And a spinning backheel is damn entertaining; cool if it goes in, hilarious if it doesn’t.
I’ve usually heard that the other way around (form is temporary, class is permanent)
No one said it wasn’t…
it’s fine it works…… but since it didn’t work, he looks like a total idiot.
I hope he manages to make a few friends before his talent is gone. The only difference between a talented jerk and a once talented jerk is the talented jerk can make a living. Save your money Mario.
Yeah, too bad he didn’t try it when he took that penalty. That would have been gold…whether he scored or it was saved.
It’s FUNNY. Lighten up, dorks.
While certainly classless, it was also hilarious. And so long as he doesn’t play for a team I support, I say keep the hits coming Mario.
Balotelli is completely classless, so it’s not a surprise to see him try to duplicate that backheel PK video making the rounds.
In a side note, Luis Suarez had a goal, two assists, and was named Player of the Tournament today as Uruguay won the Copa America…and he cost LFC less than Failotelli cost MCFC. Class (and Cash) are temporary, Form is forever.
Balotelli: $1,000,000 feet, 5-cent head.
I wouldn’t go so far as shocking. Looks like he was duplicating, or trying to, the penalty shot from last week that caused such a stir. It’s preseason, he had already scored, and well…that’s Balotelli.
Haha I support his actions. Mad funny.
Did anyone see Clichy get rocked? Guy was knocked out.
World Classless