Mancini finally explodes after reaching Balotelli boiling point

 

Roberto Mancini has stood by Mario Balotelli through all the fireworks in the bathroom, red cards, camouflaged Bentleys and grass allergies.

But tensions finally seemed to come to a head at Manchester City's training ground on Thursday, when Mancini took exception to a tackle by the striker on Scott Sinclair, leading to a physical altercation.

However, despite the fireworks at Carrington, Mancini does not appear to have severed ties entirely with the striker.

“Will Mario have more chances? I will give him 100 chances as long as I can see him trying to improve and working hard for this football club,” he told reporters on Friday morning.
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Happy New Year! Stars prepare to bring in 2013

 

Spain secured their place in the pages of football history, Chelsea marched to an unlikely Champions League triumph and two of the greatest players of all time have smashed yet more records. 2012 will be difficult to match.

With the fixtures in the world's major leagues wrapped up for the current calendar year, the game's biggest and brightest can celebrate a job (mostly) well done.

But there's plenty more to look forward to in 2013. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will carry on and, in all likelihood, reach a few more remarkable landmarks. A mouthwatering last 16 of the Champions League awaits. And, when all else fails, there's Mario Balotelli.

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Balotelli made to work for Manchester City stay

 

Mario Balotelli frustrated many in Manchester City's derby defeat against arch rivals Manchester United on Sunday afternoon.

The Italian striker has just the rest of December to prove himself to chiefs at the Etihad Stadium, with AC Milan waiting in the wings to swoop for him if he cannot impress.

Roberto Mancini has regularly stood by his compatriot, but is he now facing a losing battle to help the 22-year-old become one of the game's most feared strikers?
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'Worth the Mona Lisa' - Raiola paints pretty Balotelli picture

 

He may have yet to reach his potential at Manchester City, but Mario Balotelli continues to be linked with Europe's top sides, with Milan firming up their interest in the 22-year-old.

Rossoneri boss Massimiliano Allegri hinted at a January move for the striker on Tuesday, hailing the Italy international's "extraordinary physical and technical qualities".

However, the player's agent, Mino Raiola, has reiterated that Balotelli will not be leaving the Etihad Stadium, before insisting his client would cost "as much as the Mona Lisa"...

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'Husband and wife' Mancini & Balotelli still happily married at Manchester City

 

Dropped from the Manchester City squad after reportedly partying into the early hours on the morning of a crucial clash with Tottenham, the writing appeared to be on the wall for Mario Balotelli with regards to his future at the club.

Roberto Mancini is understood to be ready to finally wash his hands of the enigmatic Italy international for good.

But Balotelli's agent, Mino Raiola, insists that is not the case, and gave a rather surprising indication as to why the 22-year-old will remain at the Etihad Stadium for at least a little while longer.

"His [Balotelli's] relationship with Mancini is like that between a husband and his wife," Raiola told Radio CRC. "They argue but they love and respect each other so much.

"Everyone has their own ideas, but Mario will remain at Manchester City. He won't go to AC Milan."
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Mancini & Balotelli get shirty as Manchester City head for Euro exit

 

Despite having led Manchester City to success domestically during his three years at the club, Roberto Mancini is yet to find the winning formula on the European stage.

And, after crashing out of last year's Champions League at the group stages, the Premier League champions already look resigned to the same fate following Tuesday's 2-2 home draw with Ajax.

But, after a Sergio Aguero strike was disallowed and a late penalty call denied by the officials, Mancini was more aggrieved by poor refereeing decision than his side's lacklustre display..
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Crouch slam-dunks Mancini into NBA rage

 

Stoke City secured an unexpected point at home to Premier League champions Manchester City on Saturday, thanks in part to their opening goal, courtesy of Peter Crouch.

The former England international got more than a little lucky not to see his effort disallowed, however, as multiple apparent handballs in the build-up set City fuming.

Manager Roberto Mancini complained after the game about watching "the NBA, not football", but there was nothing that he could do. Perhaps a time-out might be in order...

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Europe's finest begin long road to Brazil

 

The first round of qualifying fixtures for World Cup 2014 kick off this weekend and it's a chance for many of us to see the star names which made Euro 2012 such a memorable tournament.

With Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas leading the way, the Real Madrid captain will be hoping that Vicente Del Bosque's side will be able to become the first team to retain the trophy since Italy did so back in 1938.

Roy Hodgson's England side will be hoping to make an impact on the latter stages in Brazil, as well a few of the other familiar faces such as Italy, Portugal and Germany...
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Ronaldo's stars align as he tops the Goal.com 50

 

This year's Goal.com 50 has been announced with Cristiano Ronaldo revealed as the top player of the past 12 months.

Real Madrid team-mate Iker Casillas was surprisingly placed second with Lionel Messi shunted down to third after Los Blancos' title-winning exploits in La Liga last term.
The list has sparked debate and intrigue among fans and pundits alike, and is likely to continue to do so for time to come.

Not everyone has the time to pore over the facts and stats of the list in full so we have brought the entire 50 to you in the simplest of forms.
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Balotelli dreams of UFC glory

 

A Premier League title followed up by three goals for Italy on the way to the final of Euro 2012 - you could be forgiven for thinking Mario Balotelli might be happy with what he achieved over the last season.

But the striker - who is never too far from the news - harbours some sporting ambitions of an entirely different kind.

The Manchester City man has declared his love for UFC and suggested had he not become a professional footballer, he might have turned his hand to fighting in the octagon.

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Man City face mountain challenge to stay on top of the pile

 

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini will take his squad to the Austrian Alps for an intense programme of pre-season training, it was revealed this week.

The Italian's training methods have not always been received favourably at the Premier League champions with double sessions reportedly having irked some members of the squad upon his arrival in 2009.

The players may be looking forward to some luxury chalet accommodation but may be less than impressed once the gruelling sessions get underway.

Regardless, it is likely to give Mario Balotelli an easy excuse to get the tabloid headlines into overdrive nice an early for the campaign so expect a little good to come out of the trip.
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Spain look to tiki-taka the Euro trophy home again

 

Spain go into the final of Euro 2012 against Italy with a chance of making history as they seek to become the first international side ever to win three successive major international tournaments.

The team's tiki-taka style of play - based on keeping possession through short passing and continuous movement of players - was once celebrated as the pinnacle of footballing perfection, but it has been derided in various quarters throughout the tournament for being boring and lacking entertainment value.

The defending champions won't mind one bit, though, as they bid to secure their place in the annals of history alongside the great international sides of the past. But first they have to find a way past an Andrea Pirlo-inspired Italy side, who they drew with 1-1 in their opening Group C clash.

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It's-a-me, Mario

 

Mario Balotelli put in a dazzling match-winning performance for Italy in the second Euro 2012 semi-final, scoring twice to seal a 2-1 win over Germany.

The Manchester City striker, who has so often hit the headlines for the wrong reasons, produced two wonderful finishes to ensure his side's smooth passage into the final, where they will meet Spain on Sunday.

In fact, if he can repeat the form he showed against Joachim Low's side then the world champions will have plenty to fear from Italy's newest hero.


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Spain & Italy scramble into the Euro 2012 quarter-finals

 

Spain and Italy both secured their place in the Euro 2012 quarter-finals on Monday night, but neither side qualified from Group C with the ease that had been expected.

After draws in their opening two games, the Azzurri secured a 2-0 victory over the already eliminated Republic of Ireland, while Vicente del Bosque's men left it late to see off Croatia and in turn knock Slaven Bilic's side out of the tournament.

With Spain and Italy having reached the quarter-final base point, both sides will now be focused on reaching the peak of the Euro 2012 mountain...
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Euro 2012 race set to start

 

The day has finally arrived. Euro 2012 will kick off this evening as tournament co-hosts Poland take on Greece in Group A's opening fixture.

With all 16 nations having made all of their final preparations ahead of the tournament, it's now left to us to sit back and enjoy day after day of world-class football.
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'Why always me?' Mancini ponders ...

 

Roberto Mancini was left asking: 'Why always me?' on Sunday, as his Manchester City side lost 1-0 at Arsenal to leave them eight points behind Manchester United in the race for the Premier League title.

A late Mikel Arteta goal sealed the three points for the Gunners, but it was the antics of Mario Balotelli that really grabbed the headlines after the Italian was sent off for two bookable offences, and was his usual petulant self throughout the game.

Having just dealt with the Carlos Tevez saga, Mancini must be wondering why he has to keep babysitting his players while fighting Sir Alex Ferguson for the Premier League crown.
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Ferguson's side sprint for the finish

 

Momentum swung the way of Sir Alex Ferguson as his Manchester United side earned a 2-0 win over a relegation-embroiled Blackburn Rovers, moving them a step closer to his 13th Premier League title.

They left it late, but after Antonio Valencia broke the deadlock in the 81st minute, Ashley Young added a second in a performance which Ferguson stated 'typfied the history' of Manchester United. The Red Devils stretched their lead at the summit of the league to five points as their arch-rivals Manchester City slipped up at home to Sunderland.

Since losing their first game of the calendar year to Newcastle United, Ferguson has led the reigning Premier League champions to 31 points from a possible 33, putting them in the lead of the race for the title.

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Mancini left tearing his hair out as City, Balotelli & Aguero self-destruct

 

Eight points clear at the top of the Premier League at one point earlier in the season, Manchester City now find themselves two points adrift of Manchester United after Saturday's 3-3 draw with Sunderland, having played a game more than their city rivals.

Sergio Aguero reportedly ruled himself out of action for two weeks by slipping down the steps of the team coach, while Mario Balotelli and Aleksandar Kolarov had to be pulled apart by team-mates after squaring up over a free-kick during the Sunderland epic. Anything and everything seems to be going wrong for City at the moment. It's no wonder, then, that manager Roberto Mancini is currently tearing his hair out, while United counterpart Sir Alex Ferguson laps it all up. 

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Balotelli gatecrashes Stramaccioni's Inter unveiling

 

Mario Balotelli's off-field antics stepped up another notch on Tuesday afternoon when he barged in uninvited on new Inter boss Andrea Stramaccioni's first press conference. The Manchester City star parked his Ferrari outside the building, strode in unexpectedly, shook hands with the coach and the Inter directors, and then left just as abruptly as he came.

The incident is the latest in a long line of unpredictable shenanigans concerning the volatile 21-year-old, who has created more headlines off the pitch than on it in his short career.

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Why always him?

 

The outspoken and controversial figure that is Mario Balotelli has been talking up his footballing talents again, stating that he believes he has the ability to be crowned a future winner of the Ballon d'Or award. However, the Manchester City striker has admitted that three-time World Player of the Year, Lionel Messi, is a better player and the Argentine's form will need to drop if he is to ever get his hands on the prestigious trophy.

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