My patience with Balotelli is endless! Mancini admits he has soft spot for Mario

Posted Saturday, September 22, 2012 by Dailymail

My patience with Balotelli is endless! Mancini admits he has soft spot for Mario
No rift: Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini claims there are no issues with him and Balotelli

Mancini confirmed the 22-year-old was upset over his omission in Madrid.

He said: ‘He was upset. It’s normal that a player who can’t play in the Bernabeu is unhappy.

Sometimes an important player like Mario or James Milner must sit in the stands.

‘It’s important the players understand this.’

It was believed that Mancini is fed up with Balotelli's wild ways - including his smoking habit - and was fast losing patience with the maverick 22-year-old, but Mancini played down talk of a rift.

'There has been no argument, and no row. Absolutely not,' he said.

'Mario went in the stand only because we started to play with Carlos Tevez in attack and we couldn't have three strikers on the bench.'

Balotelli partied until the early hours after Saturday's 1-1 draw at Stoke. He was pictured with boxer Amir Khan on a night out at Circle Club in Manchester.

Mancini was said to be angry as he wanted the forward to rest ahead of their opening European match against the Spanish giants.

As a punishment, Balotelli was ordered to travel to the Bernabeu despite reportedly being told he wouldn't play a part before stepping on the plane.

Another growing concern for Mancini is Balotelli's smoking habit - infuriating for a club that pay him over £100,000 per week.

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