Balotelli says sorry

Mario Balotelli was last night forced to issue a grovelling apology for his dismissal against Arsenal after it emerged his place in the Italian national side for Euro 2012, where Italy play Ireland in the final game of Group C, was in jeopardy.

Balotelli was sent off for two bookable offences as Manchester City’s faint title hopes went up in smoke after a 1-0 defeat to Arsenal on Sunday.

The controversial striker could also face retrospective punishment from the FA after escaping censure for a shocking first-half challenge on Gunners midfielder Alex Song.

It was the latest in a long line of controversial incidents involving the 21-year-old and in the aftermath of the game, City boss Roberto Mancini said he was “finished” with the striker.

Yesterday reports in Italy suggested Balotelli had phoned Cesare Prandelli to apologise for his dismissal but that the Italy coach apparently wanted the player to say sorry publicly.

Under what he terms his “code of ethics”, Prandelli has previously taken a hardline approach to Balotelli’s theatrics, dropping the player for the February friendly against the USA after the former Inter man was hit with a ban for stamping on Tottenham midfielder Scott Parker in January.

Balotelli’s dismissal on Sunday was his fourth in two seasons at City and Prandelli is clearly concerned by the striker’s lack of discipline ahead of the Euros, where Italy begin their campaign against world and European champions Spain on June 10, before playing Croatia four days later and concluding their Group C campaign against Giovanni Trapattoni’s men, in Poznan on June 18.

“I’ll evaluate from the videos of the sending off whether or not to apply the code of ethics for Balotelli,” Prandelli said yesterday.

Last night Balotelli attempted to save his international future by responding to Prandelli’s demand for a public apology. “I’m really sorry for what happened, for the disappointment I’ve given to Man City and, particularly, to Roberto Mancini, for whom I have a great respect and who I love,” Balotelli said in a statement provided by his agent, Mino Raiola.

Referring to the threat to his international future, Balotelli’s statement added: “I am very attached to the national team, but yesterday I committed two fouls in the course of action, not by reaction.’’

“I’ve already lost out on the national team for one bad thing, I wouldn’t do it for a second time.”

Balotelli added that his future at City would be resolved in the summer. “At the end of the season I will speak with the club and we’ll see,’’ he said.

Besides Balotelli, midfielder Daniele De Rossi and Argentine-born forward Pablo Osvaldo have also missed matches with Italy for disciplinary reasons since Prandelli introduced his code upon taking the Italy job in 2010.

Prandelli has scheduled a two-day training camp for Italy in two weeks, and it is unclear if Balotelli’s apology will be enough to satisfy his national manager sufficiently to secure his inclusion.

Meanwhile James Milner admitted City have paid for their lack of “ruthlessness” away from home in 2012.

The defeat at the Emirates Stadium City eight points behind arch-rivals Manchester United with just six games left to play. That represents a remarkable turnaround, with City having held a five-point lead just over a month ago, admittedly after playing a game more.

They were also five points clear back in October when they won the Manchester derby 6-1 at Old Trafford, having previously thrashed Tottenham 5-1 at White Hart Lane in August.

But while United have gone from strength to strength, City have self-combusted on their travels since the turn of the year.

Milner said: “We have played well for the majority of the season, but have come unstuck for whatever reason over the past few weeks, most of the time away from home. We have been very strong at home, but away have not got the results we want.

“It is about having ruthlessness on the road which we can learn from.”