We’ve all made some bad choices in our lives.
That drunken tattoo in Magaluf, the bet you made with your pal about Chelsea walking the league last year or all those shares you bought in MySpace.
But nobody does bad decisions like Mario Balotelli. Whether it’s having a late night fireworks party in his bathroom or crashing his £140,000 Bentley in central Manchester, he’s been there, done that, got the t-shirt.
"Why Always Me?" @FinallyMario: Derby Icon
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— Manchester City (@ManCity) September 6, 2016
However, there is one decision above them all that the mercurial Italian forward regrets more than any… and that’s joining Liverpool.
The former Manchester City hitman endured a torrid time at Anfield where he mustered just four goals in his two years there.
He didn’t fare much better on his season-long loan back at AC Milan where he netted just three times.
Brought in for £16m by former Reds boss Brendan Rodgers, he was shipped out by new manager Jurgen Klopp to the first club who would take him…which turned out to be Ligue 1 side Nice.
He is delighted to have made his deadline day move to France, where he moved on a free transfer, and fired a parting shot and his two former bosses in the process.
“Joining Liverpool was the worst decision of my life. Apart from the fantastic fans and some player with whom I have an excellent relationship, I did not like the club,” Balotelli told Canal+.
“I had two coaches at Liverpool, Rodgers and Klopp for a bit, I did not like their methods and their personality. I never really felt well there.
“I am nothing like Zlatan [Ibrahimovic] for example. You could confront Zlatan with lions and he would still be calm. If you surround him with good people, he will still be calm. That’s the way he is.
“But I need to be more relaxed and have surroundings that work for me.”
The 26-year-old made a sterling start to life at Nice, scoring twice on his debut in Sunday’s Ligue 1 clash with Marseilles.
Despite being at a low ebb in his stuttering career, it doesn’t seem to have dented his lofty ambitions any.
“It is not too late for me to win the Ballon d’Or.
“I think I could have already won it by now, but I might be able to win it within two to three years by working hard and staying serious.
“Over the past two years, my work ethic has increased from 10 per cent to 80 per cent. I have really started working hard over the past two years.”
Try telling that to Liverpool fans.
