By FRANCO PANIZO
Mario Balotelli is once again in the headlines for the wrong reasons, and once again the question being asked is if he is worth all the trouble.
For Manchester City head coach Roberto Mancini, the answer appears to be "not anymore". Mancini told reporters following his club's 1-0 loss to Arsenal on Sunday that he does not plan on using Balotelli for the remainder of the season after the Italian forward's most recent ejection, leaving the troubled striker's future with the club in doubt.
Balotelli was sent off late in the match with a second yellow card for an unneccessary challenge, but his performance was full of reckless tackles that could have seen him red carded earlier. In the first half, Balotelli went studs-up on a challenge on Alexander Song that the Arsenal defender was lucky to escape from without injury. That incident did not result in anything more than a foul in the game, but it could result in a lengthier suspension should England's FA deem it necessary.
Balotelli's latest meltdown raises new questions about whether the controversial striker is worth Manchester City, or any other team in the world, having on their roster.
There's no question Balotelli has the talent to be a forward capable of wreaking havoc on opposing defenses. This season alone, the 21-year old has scored 13 times in the Premiership campaign in 22 appearances. Unfortunately, Balotelli has also compiled 20 yellow cards and four red cards.
With his Premier League season appearing to be over, the next questions about Balotelli are whether Italy will consider bringing him for the Euros, and whether Manchester City will really be able to sell him this summer.
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Do you think Balotelli is worth all the trouble? Would you like to see your club go after him this summer? Would you bring him to the Euros if you were Italian national team head coach Cesare Prandeli?
Share your thoughts below.