Former Manchester City star Mario Balotelli suffers 'major crash' after losing control of £100,000 car
24 November 2023, 00:10 | Updated: 24 November 2023, 00:12
Former Manchester City forward Mario Balotelli has walked away unharmed after suffering a "major crash" in his £100,000 car.
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Balotelli, 33, suffered the crash at around 8.30pm local time on Thursday in his hometown of Brescia, near Milan in northern Italy.
He is said to have lost control of his Audi Q8 and smashed into a wall, but miraculously climbed out of the wreckage largely unscathed.
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Balotelli then lay on the ground as paramedics checked him over, according to local media.
The former Italy forward, who plays his football for Turkish outfit Adana Demirspor, is back at home as he recovers from an injury.
His brother, Enock Barwuah, came to the scene of the crash and took him home after it was ascertained that he didn't need medical treatment.
Balotelli played 80 times for Manchester City between 2010 and 2013, scoring 30 goals. He was beloved by sections of the club's fanbase for his important goals and wild antics.
His cult status was cemented in a famous incident when he pulled up his shirt after scoring a goal against Manchester United to reveal the slogan 'Why always me?'
But others felt his off-field activities were a distraction, and he eventually left the club after falling out of favour. He returned to the UK in 2014 for a spell with Liverpool, but did not reach the same heights.
Balotelli suffered a car crash soon after arriving in the UK, and was in another scrape in Italy on New Year's Day 2020.
He has played 36 times for Italy.
