Mario Balotelli ‘punched FC Sion chief in the face at party while pair were dressed as Pikachu and TV character’
MARIO BALOTELLI accidentally punched FC Sion sporting director Barthelemy Constantin in the face while wearing fancy dress at a party.
The Swiss side signed the Italian striker at the beginning of the season on a two-year deal.
But it has not turned out how either would have hoped with Balotelli netting just six times in 18 games and causing trouble off the pitch.
According to Swiss newspaper Blick, one of those off-field issues came when he went to a party with club chief Constantin, 28.
During the evening, someone at the party recognised the ex-Manchester City striker and pulled out their camera to take a photo.
Balotelli, who is understood to have caught unwanted attention with his partying during his time at Sion, took umbrage with this and, after exchanging verbals, they allegedly began fighting.
Constantin reportedly tried to break up the scuffle, but was inadvertently punched by Balotelli.
All this took place while the pair were dressed as Pokemon character Pikachu and TV personality House of Money.
The following week Constantin was sat on the bench with a bloodshot eye as he watched Sion lose to St. Gallen.
And Sion have gone on to suffer relegation down to the second tier of Swiss football after winning just seven of their 36 league games.
Meanwhile, Balotelli’s days with the club look to be numbered.
After Sion went 3-0 down inside nine minutes to Servette last month, he reportedly refused to come back out for the second half.
Fans subsequently set fire to Balotelli’s jersey in the stands.
And at the end of the campaign, president Christian Constantin did not pull any punches in his assessment of the striker.
He said: “Mario has not given us back the trust placed in him, nor rewarded for the great efforts we have made.
“This boy considers that the rules that govern a collective are above all made for others.
“If agents find it in their interest to place him in a country that doesn’t value money as much as we do, maybe he’ll play again soon. Or not. Maybe it’s better that way.”
Balotelli was a part of BT Sport’s Champions League final coverage on Saturday night as he turned his hand to punditry for the clash between two of his former clubs.
And he claimed Erling Haaland “learnt good” from him after a video emerged of the Norwegian wearing Balotelli’s No45 as a young boy.