In an outburst of anger, passionate fans resorted to burning a Mario Balotelli shirt following FC Sion’s defeat to San Gallo. The Italian striker, 32, who has faced criticism throughout his career, joined FC Sion last summer, making it the eleventh club he has been associated with. The fiery response from the fans reflects their disappointment and frustration with the team’s performance and Balotelli’s contribution on the field.
And he has already hit the headlines off the pitch since his arrival.
He missed a game with bronchitis after reports that he had gone AWOL after a video surfaced of him staggering out of a bar with a mystery woman.
He has scored five goals in 12 appearances this term but it seems that Sion’s supporters are growing tired of the ex-Manchester City star.
Balotelli started yesterday’s 4-0 home thrashing but was taken off as the result left Sion sitting just a point off the bottom.
There were a number of insulting chants about him when he was taken off with a section also accusing him of not “sweating” for the club.
And the fans were quick to direct even more anger towards the forward, with a group of them hanging up a jersey bearing his name and number on railings and setting it on fire.
The volatile ace shot to fame in England after joining Manchester City from Inter Milan in 2010.
But following 30 goals in 80 appearances, he joined Inter’s bitter enemies AC Milan as a one-time Premier League winner.
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Although that did not spell the end of Balotelli’s time in England following a shock switch to Liverpool in 2014.
His time spent at Anfield proved uneventful as the attacker managed just four goals in his 28 matches.
Balotelli later enjoyed spells in France with Nice and Marseille, before returning to Italy with Brescia as well as Monza.
He then joined Adana Demirspor in Turkey in July 2021, scoring 19 goals in 35 games, before his departure last year.
