One-match ban for Balotelli

Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli will miss Sunday’s game with Arsenal after being banned for one match, fined £25,000 and ordered to attend an education course after making racist and anti-semitic comments on social media.

The Italy international last week accepted a charge of an aggravated breach of Football Association rule E3, relating to references of ethnic origin, colour, race, nationality or religion or belief, after his posting of an image of computer game character Super Mario on Instagram which included the words “jumps like a black man and grabs coins like a Jew”.

Balotelli said: “It is my intention to comply with the decision of the FA and make sure it never happens again.”