Hectic, eventful, unpredictable. These are just a handful of adjectives that can be used to describe Mario Balotelli’s stint in Manchester. The former Manchester City striker was no stranger to a fascinating story and, luckily for the fans, new information seems to rise to the top every now and again.

Whether it's a training ground bust-up with a teammate or setting off fireworks in his own home, the Italian enigma has tried it all during his eventful football career. Fines at Premier League level are a staple part of the modern game, with leaked sheets of jaw-dropping financial sanctions revealed over the last few years.

GIVEMESPORT have decided to take a look at one of the more bizarre stories to come from Balotelli's chaotic time in England. Even after his departure from the club, he had still managed to leave a lasting impression on the staff and all those around the club.

There was never a dull day in the life of Balotelli. But his fine list is a story of its own. And it’s mind-blowing.

Most recently, ex-City kitman Les Chapman has delved deeper into the Italian’s off-pitch antics on the Ninety Three Twenty Podcast. “I used to do tours of the training ground. And I can remember going in the dressing room with the first tour after Mario had left," Chapman said.

What may seem like pocket change for those lucky to live the footballer lifestyle, a six-figure fine is typically unheard of. Now this one was not from a traffic warden, as he was so famously known for, but instead one from the club which we can assume was blatantly ignored by Balotelli.

“He had his car impounded 27 times and owed Manchester City Council 10s of thousands of pounds when he left and I think the club paid it up for him," Chapman added. Balotelli’s mischievous ways put him in his own bracket, but unfortunately for him, a bracket other managers would stay well away from.

According to The Sun (per the Daily Mail), the former Italy international paid more than £300,000 to the English club in fines and club staff even had to retrieve his car on 27 occasions after it had been impounded as many times. This proves he was no stranger to getting into trouble with his own employers as well as the law outside of the sport.

The Golden Boy winner’s ill-disciplined nature is not exclusive to fines, however, as he raised some eyebrows with a certain goal celebration. One of the most iconic celebrations in Premier League history was unleashed when Balotelli lifted up his shirt in the 2011-12 campaign.

He had just scored the opening goal of an eventual thrashing over their arch-rivals, but Balotelli took the phrase ‘celebrations are in order’ very seriously and very prematurely. “Why always me?” was written on a light blue shirt underneath his City number, and Chapman relived the moment, claiming his shirt-printing duties were stripped after the debacle.

He said: "This particular day Mario took me around and said 'I want this printed on my shirt, what do you think?' I said yeah I’ll print it up, but [I told him] you can’t have anything that’s offensive to United fans or anybody really.

“He came out with one or two things and I said “No, Mario” and then he said “What about why always me?” As soon as he said it I thought that’s just about perfect and then I got in trouble after the game. They wouldn’t let me print any more shirts after that game because, instead of just lifting his shirt up to there, he lifted it over his head and got booked so David Platt said ‘message from Mancini, don’t print any more shirts’.”

Not only did he manage to get himself in ample trouble, he managed to get staff members wound up in all the chaos. Oh, Mario.

Man City agreed to sign Balotelli from Inter Milan, knowing the reputation of the 19-year-old at the time, after he had fallen out with legendary manager José Mourinho during his time at the San Siro. In 2010 however, there were high hopes that the supreme natural talent of the youngster would outweigh the negatives of his questionable temperament. Having a compatriot as his manager - in the form of Roberto Mancini - didn't help matters, as the pair even reportedly came to blows on the training ground.

On the pitch, there were glimpses of brilliance at various points. He was not far off registering a goal contribution every two games as Balotelli scored 30 goals and grabbed seven assists from only 80 games. The most famous of those assists came on the final day of the 2011/12 season, laying the ball off to Sergio Aguero to score a dramatic last-gasp winner against QPR to secure the Citizens' first Premier League trophy.

This ensures that he will forever be etched into the history books of the competition as part of the most dramatic moment the division has ever seen. Despite the fleeting moments of quality, Balotelli ultimately didn't deliver on the expectations that walked through the door with him as a teenager. AC Milan came calling in 2013 and the former Inter star decided it was time to return to his home country.

Balotelli eventually packed his bags and moved to AC Milan, and you could hear a sigh of relief from Mancini from a mile away. His wild ride at the Etihad was over to the delight of some, but his legacy in sky blue will live on forever.

Premier League fans may have thought they had seen the back of the chaotic Italian forward - with few clubs expected to take a risk on Balotelli - until Liverpool shocked the world and made a move to bring him back to England in 2014. Tasked with replacing the mesmerising Luis Suárez, who had departed Anfield for Barcelona, the striker failed to show his talent on Merseyside.

He only managed to find the net on four occasions from 28 competitive appearances and Jürgen Klopp's arrival at the club in 2015 all but spelled the end of his second stint in the English top-flight.

Forced to head to France in order to pick up the pieces of a flailing career, Balotelli impressed while representing OGC Nice, scoring 43 goals in just over 70 appearances. This is the highest goal haul he has achieved for any of the number of clubs he has played for.

After struggling for fitness and falling out of favour under Patrick Vieira at Nice, Balotelli had a short spell at Marseille before heading back to Serie A. The former City forward has since continued to be a journeyman as he has moved between Brescia, Monza, FC Sion, Adana Demirspor and Genoa.

Spending the 2024/25 campaign struggling for minutes at Genoa, it's safe to say his career hasn't lived up to the initial hype of a young player that was once nominated for the Ballon d'Or.