Only way is up for mysterious Mario

PREMIER LEAGUE:

Hero to zero is a well-trodden path, but the man whose two glorious goals against Germany took Italy to the final of the European championship two years ago has descended it with almost breakneck speed. World Cup humiliation was the final straw and all the half-concealed prejudices were brought out in the open again.

“Balotelli you are not Italian,” came the familiar refrain, and even “There’s no such thing as a black Italian.” To which he responded, via internet: “I’m 23 and I didn’t choose to be Italian — I wanted to be because I was born in Italy and have always lived in Italy.”