Manchester City star Mario Balotelli is currently being sued by his landlord for damage he caused to the £3m mansion he was renting.
After a firework was let off in the bathroom of the house in Cheshire, the landlord has refused to let him return home until he settles the bill for the damages to the bathroom, which has run into a reported cost of tens of thousands of pounds.
Balotelli is currently staying in a city centre hotel.
The bathroom needed repairs for fire damage, and destroyed chairs had to be replaced.
The Italian football star feels the bill is excessive and has refused to pay despite earning a reported £100,000 per week. Subsequently, Balotelli’s landlord has begun legal proceedings to recover his losses and claim compensation under the 1925 Law of Property Act.
The incident occurred last October on the night before a derby match against Manchester United. Balotelli, who has insisted the firework was let off by a friend, had been living in the house for a month.
A spokesman for Balotelli said: “Mario feels that he is being ripped off. The club is aware of the matter and we are backing Mario fully in this.”
Before moving to the mansion, the player got a police caution for setting off £1,500-worth of fireworks in a flat he rented.
Meanwhile, Balotelli has been chastised by his manager Roberto Mancini, who said: “If he was my son I would go to him and kick him on the a***.”
