“Mario was good fun. I could write a book of 200 pages of my two years in Inter with Mario, but the book would be not a drama. The book would be a comedy! I remember one in Kazan. We went to Kazan in the Champions League. In that match, I had all my strikers injured. No Milito, no Eto’o. I was really in trouble and Mario was the only one. Mario gets a yellow card in minute 42 or 43. So, when I go to the dressing room at half time, I spent, I would say, 14 minutes of the 15 speaking only for Mario. “Mario, I cannot change you. I cannot make a change. I don’t have a striker on the bench. Don’t touch anybody. Play only with the ball. When we lose the ball, no reaction. If somebody provocates you, no reaction. If the referee makes a mistake, no reaction. Mario, please”
Mario Balotelli
Italiaanse voetballer dat uit kan groeien tot een wereldtopper. Het enige dat hem hiervan weerhoud, is zijn lage IQ.
— quote José Mourinho —
“Mario was good fun. I could write a book of 200 pages of my two years in Inter with Mario, but the book would be not a drama. The book would be a comedy! I remember one in Kazan. We went to Kazan in the Champions League. In that match, I had all my strikers injured. No Milito, no Eto’o. I was really in trouble and Mario was the only one. Mario gets a yellow card in minute 42 or 43. So, when I go to the dressing room at half time, I spent, I would say, 14 minutes of the 15 speaking only for Mario. “Mario, I cannot change you. I cannot make a change. I don’t have a striker on the bench. Don’t touch anybody. Play only with the ball. When we lose the ball, no reaction. If somebody provocates you, no reaction. If the referee makes a mistake, no reaction. Mario, please”
46th minute: red card.
— quote —