How do you get football bad boy Mario Balotelli to behave himself?
The way Liverpool tried to get the former Inter and Manchester City striker to calm down was was by appealing to his wallet.
Among leaked documents seen by the Sunday Times is one purporting to be a copy of the Italian striker’s contract when he was signed to Liverpool in 2014.
By this point he was already well known for his erratic behaviour, which had included incidents such as throwing a dart out of a first floor window towards youth team players, setting off fireworks in the bathroom of his rented house, and having a training ground scuffle with then-City boss Roberto Mancini that eventually led to him leaving the club.
(Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Concerned at protecting Liverpool’s name, the management at the club allegedly inserted a good behaviour clause into his contract meaning he was able to pocket a cool £1m – just for staying out of trouble and acting “in a manner befitting of a Liverpool player”.
According to the Sunday Times, the wording read: “If during each season of the term of this contract the player is not dismissed from the field of play on three or more occasions for violent conduct, spitting at an opponent or any other person, for using offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures and/or for dissent by word or action . . . then on the 30th June at the end of each season he shall receive a bonus payment of £1m.”
Balotelli, 26, left Liverpool in the summer when he joined French side Nice.
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