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LA Galaxy 1-1 (6-7 PKs) Manchester City: Mario Balotelli taken out of game after showboating
Manchester City coach Roberto Mancini was not too happy with the 20-year-old in his team's penalty-kick victory over the Galaxy.
By Mike Slane
Mario Balotelli, Manchester City (Getty Images)
Mario Balotelli's attitude problems continued in California and his coach had no choice but to punish the youngster in Manchester City's final game of its North American tour.
After scoring the Blues' only goal of the afternoon on a penalty kick in the first half, Balotelli was substituted 30 minutes in following a poor showboating attempt in his team's shootout victory against the Los Angeles Galaxy at the Home Depot Center on Sunday.
Balotelli had a clear path to the goal, but instead of going the easy way to put his team up two goals, the immature 20-year-old tried to score with a spinning backheel but watched his shot go well wide of the net. His teammates and coaches were shocked, to say the least.
"In football we should be serious, always," Manchester City coach Roberto Mancini said. "And if you have a chance to score, you should score. Only this, for me, it’s finished now. And I hope for him it is an important lesson."
Not pleased with Balotelli's unprofessional play, Mancini quickly took the striker out of the game. Balotelli had a few words with the boss as he walked off the field before taking a seat on the bench. He did not come out with the team after halftime.
"I didn’t speak to him. But I think that we need to be always professional, always serious, and for me in that case Mario wasn’t professional," Mancini said. "And for this I changed him."
The Galaxy went on to tie the game in the 53rd minute when Mike Magee scored on a long strike past Joe Hart, who had only seen one shot prior to the beautiful goal.
After finishing regulation tied at one, a game was decided on penalty kicks for the first time during this year's World Football Challenge.
It took nine rounds, but Manchester City would eventually put it away after Hart stepped up offensively and scored the final goal for the Citizens, who ended the afternoon on a high note after Balotelli's earlier embarrassment.
Balotelli's attitude has been put into question, having had several other very public confrontations with teammates and coaches in the past year alone. Mancini spoke to Goal.com exclusively about Balotelli's inability to control himself.
“Sometimes he needs to control his emotions, yes,” Mancini admitted to Goal.com following last Monday's contest in Vancouver. “Mario is good player, but he's young and needs to improve as a player and as a man sometimes.”
Mancini claims there won't be any further disciplinary action following Sunday's events.
"No, no. To take him off the pitch after 30 minutes is punishment for him," he said.
After scoring the Blues' only goal of the afternoon on a penalty kick in the first half, Balotelli was substituted 30 minutes in following a poor showboating attempt in his team's shootout victory against the Los Angeles Galaxy at the Home Depot Center on Sunday.
Balotelli had a clear path to the goal, but instead of going the easy way to put his team up two goals, the immature 20-year-old tried to score with a spinning backheel but watched his shot go well wide of the net. His teammates and coaches were shocked, to say the least.
"In football we should be serious, always," Manchester City coach Roberto Mancini said. "And if you have a chance to score, you should score. Only this, for me, it’s finished now. And I hope for him it is an important lesson."
Not pleased with Balotelli's unprofessional play, Mancini quickly took the striker out of the game. Balotelli had a few words with the boss as he walked off the field before taking a seat on the bench. He did not come out with the team after halftime.
"I didn’t speak to him. But I think that we need to be always professional, always serious, and for me in that case Mario wasn’t professional," Mancini said. "And for this I changed him."
The Galaxy went on to tie the game in the 53rd minute when Mike Magee scored on a long strike past Joe Hart, who had only seen one shot prior to the beautiful goal.
After finishing regulation tied at one, a game was decided on penalty kicks for the first time during this year's World Football Challenge.
It took nine rounds, but Manchester City would eventually put it away after Hart stepped up offensively and scored the final goal for the Citizens, who ended the afternoon on a high note after Balotelli's earlier embarrassment.
Balotelli's attitude has been put into question, having had several other very public confrontations with teammates and coaches in the past year alone. Mancini spoke to Goal.com exclusively about Balotelli's inability to control himself.
“Sometimes he needs to control his emotions, yes,” Mancini admitted to Goal.com following last Monday's contest in Vancouver. “Mario is good player, but he's young and needs to improve as a player and as a man sometimes.”
Mancini claims there won't be any further disciplinary action following Sunday's events.
"No, no. To take him off the pitch after 30 minutes is punishment for him," he said.
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