Football: Balotelli Faces Max Fine
 

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BBC Sport


Mario Balotelli may face fine - Roberto Mancini

Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini said Mario Balotelli will face the maximum permissible fine if he broke a club curfew before the win over Bolton.

The Italian striker scored in a 2-0 win that leaves City five points ahead of second-placed Manchester United.

But his manager will investigate reports of a night out on Thursday.

"I didn't read the newspapers," Mancini said. "Tomorrow I will speak with him. If everything is true I will do the maximum fine that I can do."

Balotelli's goal was his second since returning from a four-match suspension after an alleged stamp on Tottenham's Scott Parker last month and his 14th goal of the season.

"I'm really disappointed," said Mancini when asked about the 21-year-old's most recent alleged transgression.
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"But I need to speak to him because I don't know what or when it has happened. I will [stick with him] because he's a good player but, if it is true, I will speak with him tomorrow and decide about the fine.

"Maybe if he goes to bed earlier, maybe he scores three goals [against Bolton]. Maybe he missed four goals for this reason."

Balotelli joined City in a £24m deal from Inter Milan in the summer of 2010 but has been involved in a number of controversies on and off the pitch.

He has been sent off three times, was unable to continue after suffering an allergy to the grass in a game in Kiev, threw a dart at a reserve team player and escaped injury after a firework was let off in his house.

With closest rivals Manchester United facing a tough trip to third-placed Spurs on Sunday, Mancini was pleased to gain another win as he rested David Silva, Sergio Aguero and Micah Richards after a round of international friendlies in midweek.

But the Italian said his team needed to be more clinical.

"I'm happy for our performance. When you play a team fighting against relegation it is difficult," he added.

"We missed five or six chances to score in 10 minutes. This can be a problem sometimes. We were unlucky because their goalkeeper did very well and maybe we should pay more attention.

"When we have a chance to score it's better to score quickly."