Mario Balotelli is one of a handful of players to have played for both 2023 UEFA Champions League finalists.
The Italian striker featured for Inter Milan between 2007 and 2010, before transferring to Manchester City for the next three seasons. He has played more games for the two potential European champions than any other team in his career.
Balotelli won trophies with both clubs and was also former teammates with current Inter striker Edin Dzeko during his time in Manchester. The likes of Patrick Vieira, Aleksandar Kolarov, and Maicon all played for the Nerazzurri and the Citizens.
The Sporting News looks at the career of Mario Balotelli since his move away from City. Meanwhile, UK broadcaster BT Sport has brought him on board for their coverage of the match:
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Where is Mario Balotelli?
Balotelli left Man City during the 2012/13 season, moving to the red side of Milan. Since that transfer, the 32-year-old has played for seven more clubs across England, France, Italy, and Turkey.
He is now playing for FC Sion in the Swiss Super League. He joined them for £2.25m ($2.81m) in August 2022 and has bagged six goals in 18 league appearances, with Sion sitting bottom of the league.
His best goalscoring seasons have come at Nice in Ligue 1, finding the back of the net 31 times in 51 league games across two seasons. Here his statistics for clubs he has played for since leaving Man City.
| Team | Seasons | Appearances | Goals | Assist | Red Cards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AC Milan | 2012/13, 13/14, 15/16 (loan) | 77 | 33 | 9 | 1 |
| Liverpool | 2014/15 | 28 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Nice | 2016/17, 17/18, 18/19 | 76 | 43 | 3 | 4 |
| Marseille | 2018/19 | 15 | 8 | 0 | 1 |
| Brescia | 2019/20 | 19 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| Monza | 2020/21 | 14 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| Adana Demirspor | 2021/22, 22/23 | 35 | 19 | 7 | 1 |
| Sion | 2022/23 | 18 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
Mario Balotelli with Man City
Balotelli joined Man City in August 2010, where he was reunited with former Inter manager Roberto Mancini. He was certainly a unique player from the moment he stepped foot on English soil.
The forward was sent off in the same game in which he scored his first Premier League goal, a 2-0 win against West Bromwich Albion. He was named man of the match in the 2011 FA Cup final and made further headlines in the following season for his iconic 'Why always me?' celebration at Old Trafford.
His most important contribution to the Citizens came in the final game of the 2011/12 season against QPR. He assisted Sergio Aguero for the winner in the match, giving the club their first league title since 1968. It was Balotelli's only assist for Man City.
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Did Mario Balotelli win the Champions League?
During his three seasons with Inter, Balotelli did not have an easy time. He was seen wearing an AC Milan shirt on a TV show, booed by his own fans in a Champions League semifinal, and fell out with manager Jose Mourinho in his final season.
Despite his turbulent time with the Italian giants, he still enjoyed many victories with them, including the 2010 Champions League. He made eight appearances throughout the campaign, scoring once and also picking up one red card.
He was an unused substitute in the final due the form of Diego Milito and his relationship with Mourinho.