Mario Balotelli’s Only Regret

Mario Ballotelli

Mario Balotelli has been a magnet for controversies both real and fictional in his short career, but there is only one that he regrets. And it has nothing to do with fireworks setting his bathroom on fire, wearing a Milan shirt while he was with Inter or losing a fight with a bib.
From Football Italia:

    Balotelli has caused controversy many times in his career and was asked if he had any big regrets.

    “In my life I would only avoid doing one thing again: I wouldn’t have thrown the Inter jersey to the ground.”

In the first leg of Inter's Champions League semi-final against Barcelona in 2010, then 19-year-old Balotelli came on as a substitue and drew the ire of Inter fans for playing halfheartedly and not getting back to defend. Inter still won 3-1 on their way to knocking Barca out and winning the Champions League, but after the match, an angry Balotelli threw his shirt on the ground as he walked off the pitch. This upset the fans even more and prompted teammate Marco Materazzi to attack him in the tunnel. It was also reportedly part of the reason why Inter sold him to Man City that summer.

But now that Mario is with the Rossoneri and scoring goals for both club and country, he seems more content. And his response to that question perhaps shows not only that sense of stability, but maturity as well. It's easy to forget given all he has already accomplished, but Balotelli is still just 22 years old. There is still so much on the horizon for him.