Mancini’s proposal to ensure Mario won’t go without a hitch

A week is a long time in football.

And it’s even longer in love.

Just a week after Mario Balotelli celebrated his goal against Blackburn Rovers by unveiling a t-shirt proclaiming his love for girlfriend Raffaella Fico, Roberto Mancini is advising his restless marksman to find himself a wife.

There was no indication from the Manchester City manager whether Raffaella should be considered for the position or, if not, whether she can be kept on in her current role anyway.

But after Balotelli was spotted exiting a Liverpool strip club in the early hours of Friday morning, with City due to face Bolton at 3pm on Saturday, Mancini believes the nuclear option of marriage may be the only way to keep his 21-year-old tearaway in line.

“It could be that marriage would help him in that respect,” said Mancini.

“That could be the answer, because I am sure he understands that he has made a mistake.

“When you are a professional, you should know you cannot stay out until after two o’clock in the morning, so close to a game. He needs to understand this. Now he is young, but at 25 or 26 it will be different. If you do not have a good private life then, you will not be able to play at the top level.”

Whatever Balotelli was looking for in Liverpool, it seems Mancini isn’t quite at the end of his tether yet with his young compatriot.

“I have a lot of patience with him. Probably he gets bored quickly. There is no malice. He just doesn’t think that there is a game in two days, that players are away on international duty and that we prepare for him to be the main striker because he would be freshest. He doesn’t think along those lines, but this has to change.”