Nine years on, Mario Balotelli has finally come up with a reason for that impetuous backheel in Los Angeles. The one that had American television commentators hammering him for, for ‘disrespecting LA Galaxy’.
The one when, midway through a friendly on Manchester City’s tour of the west coast, he inexplicably spun on his heels when clean through to flick wide without a care in the world.
The one when an incandescent Roberto Mancini hauled him off within moments and team-mates publicly called him out. That one.
Edin Dzeko remonstrates with Mario Balotelli after his inexplicable backheel shot when clean through on goal during Manchester City’s pre-season game against LA Galaxy in 2011
Balotelli never saw eye-to-eye with City manager Roberto Mancini when at the club
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