10 Moments That Define Mario Balotelli's Career

3. Stamping Out Spurs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJMIsYVuSyI There is no doubting that there are two sides to Mario Balotelli - the brilliant, esoteric genius with ice seemingly running through his veins, and the controversial, immature liability. On January 22 2012, during a brief yet action-packed cameo against Spurs, the White Hart Lane outfit got to witness both. A victory would have sent Spurs to the top of the table, and while the counter-attacking pace of Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon were trying to catch City on the break, with the scores tied at two apiece, Balotelli entered the fray before shortly directing a hideous stamp onto the head of Spurs captain Scott Parker, following a tussle for the ball. With the Italian having already been booked, his second misdemeanour went unpunished by the unsighted referee, much to the disgust of boss Harry Redknapp. To rub further salt into the wounds of the North London outfit, Balotelli dusted himself down for a nail-biting finale, in which there was enough time for Spurs stalwart Ledley King to clumsily haul the Italian to the ground. Picking himself up, there was never any doubt that Balotelli would cooly slot past Brad Friedel, despite the magnitude and importance resting on the young man's shoulders.