A video of Mario Balotelli setting off bangers in his team’s changing room is going viral on social media.
Renowned for some bizarre acts both on and off the football pitch, it seems the former Manchester City star is up to his old tricks again and this time was seen playing a prank on his new team-mates.
Balotelli is currently on the books at Turkish Super Lig club, Adana Demirspor, and was seen lighting one of the small fireworks before chucking it across the room while covering his ears.
He was subsequently seen turning around to deliver a rather unimpressed look in Balotelli’s direction – with the Italian seeming to chuckle to himself.
Mario Balotelli was seen throwing a banger across his team’s changing room, startling one member of the team
Balotelli is currently playing for Adana Demirspor in the Turkish Super Lig and has scored five goals in nine appearances this season
Over the years, Balotelli has baffled audiences with a number of crazy acts both on and off the pitch.
Back in 2011, the Italian was at the centre of an infamous incident where his £3million rented Cheshire mansion caught on fire after a friend of his was said to have set fireworks off in the striker’s bathroom.
Balotelli escaped unhurt after fleeing the fire at 1:00am, just 36 hours before he and his team-mates were set to face city rivals, Manchester United at Old Trafford.
He subsequently appeared in a firework safety campaign ahead of bonfire night.
Mail Sport previously published images showing the extent of the damage, but despite the fire, the Italian went on to score twice against United before revealing the now iconic message ‘Why always me?’ printed on his under shirt.
On the field, Balotelli enjoyed a glittering playing career, winning the Premier League with City, the Champions League with Inter Milan as well as three Serie A titles.
After the fireworks incident, Balotelli turned out for Man City and scored twice for the Cityzens before revealing the infamous shirt that had ‘why always me?’ printed on it
The former City striker became Manchester’s ambassador for fireworks in 2011 after setting one off in his bathroom starting a fire at his then-Cheshire home
Balotelli was also on punditry duty for BT Sport (now TNT Sport) for the Champions League final last season,
He’d arrive at the Etihad in 2010 in a £22million transfer, but not long before arriving at City he crashed his Audi R8 on the way to training.
Balotelli had £5,000 in cash in his back pocket and when asked why he had that much money, he reportedly replied: ‘Because I am rich.’
He’d go on to score 30 goals in 80 appearances for the Cityzens, before moving to play for AC Milan and Liverpool.
This season, the 33-year-old has largely failed to play for his current club with a knee injury keeping him sidelined for most of the season.
Despite that he has made nine appearances during the 2023-24 campaign and has scored an impressive five goals during that time.
