Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has admitted Mario Balotelli can't be trusted.
Balotelli still important in title run-in says City boss
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has admitted Mario Balotelli cannot be trusted to make the Blues' Premier League title dream come true.
With Mancini set to turn to his fellow Italian following the "stupid" injury that will keep Sergio Aguero out of Saturday's encounter with Sunderland, the City boss has admitted Balotelli could be crucial in the title run in - but that he still can't trust the enigmatic striker.
The situation is compounded by the injury to Aguero with Mancini having no idea when the forward will be fit to return.
Reports in Argentina suggest Aguero has suffered a severely blistered foot after the player's skin reacted to a spray he used following an incident involving a toy belonging to his three-year-old son .
Carlos Tevez is still not considered fit enough to start either, which leaves only Edin Dzeko, who has scored just five times in his last 25 appearances and none in his last six, and Balotelli as Mancini's only other forward options.
That Balotelli has ability is beyond question.
However, the 21-year-old is just as capable of the bizarre, appearing at a press conference to unveil Andrea Stramaccioni as new manager his former club Inter Milan earlier this week as if to prove the point.
So, whilst Balotelli looks set to be handed an increased role in City's championship challenge, Mancini knows he cannot rely on the Italy forward.
"I don't trust Mario. No-one trusts Mario," said Mancini. "He is a top player. He can do everything. He can score two goals against Arsenal next week. But he can also take a red card.
"Until now he did well and in the last eight games he could be important for us. But trust him? Never."
Not even to remain in England when he is given a couple of days off, as was the case this week.
"I can't put him in his house for two days," said Mancini. "Probably the moment will arrive when he will know what he should do when he has two days off.
"I hope he will grow out of it because he needs to know this is his job. He needs to work and rest. But he is young."
As Mancini spoke around Aguero's injury, it was tempting to think Balotelli might have had something to do with it.
"I am really disappointed for what happened last week," said Mancini. "I am more than really disappointed. It is impossible that we can lose a player for a stupid situation.
"I will tell you what happened when the season has finished. It was not at home, it was here, but it was not another player.
"He can't play with this injury for a week, 10 days, two weeks? I don't know.
"For us it is a big problem because we lost Sergio against Stoke and tomorrow he can't play. We hope we can recover him for Arsenal but I don't know if it is possible. I hope it won't be weeks."
