Mario Balotelli has written an open letter explaining why he received a guided tour of Naples backstreets by members of organised crime.

“Around a year ago I was invited to Naples to pick up the Golden Boy award and stopped for a few days on vacation,” wrote the Manchester City and Italy striker.

“I was taken to see many wonderful places in Naples, like Piazza del Plebiscito, but I also asked to visit those areas off the beaten track. Having seen the film Gomorra, I was amazed by this whole other reality that exists.

“I wanted to see for myself and understand the serious problems in the suburbs of Naples that the film talked about. It is a very different reality to the one I grew up with and experience now.

“Some prefer to turn their heads and pretend nothing is happening, but I am not like that. When I went to Brazil in 2008 I asked to visit the favelas and poorest quarters of Bahia so I could meet and talk to people, then play football in the streets with the local kids.

“In Naples one morning I visited the Quartieri Spagnoli area, where I remember playing football with the children in the street, then crossed the Scampia quarter. After a while I asked to leave, because I realised it was a dangerous situation.

“I did not know that police were investigating or watching me that day, nor was I ever called to testify. Frankly, I don’t understand how a statement from a ‘confidential informer’ could be handed to the newspapers. Only in Italy can this sort of thing happen.

“I am profoundly disgusted by the fact my actions in good faith were used against me in this way. I realise I am naive, but linking my name to the betting scandal as well is absolutely too much. I have nothing to do with betting, let alone organised crime.

“I am absolutely calm and invite the police to do all the investigating they need, because I have nothing to hide. I have sent my lawyers to punish those who want to use my name and suggest I’m involved in anything illegal.

“Finally, I think at this delicate moment for Italian football we don’t need further controversy, but rather focus on resolving the real problems.”

He's right.

this kid gets way to much negative promotion from the media, and hes right he deserves more respect. but i suppose some of the stuff hes done in past has hurt him when it comes to that.

[mention][/mention] wrote: I have sent my lawyers to punish those who want to use my name

Armed with darts?

LOL this dude balotelli apart from being an obvious troll at times has really impressed me with his personality.It's cool that he admits he's naive and he does a lot of charitable and nice things.

People really have the wrong impression of him

i wish him the best really, he 20? he has to explode out there, show them what he has, so that they can talk more about his skills than his outside effects.

hes becoming into another cr7, in a different way.

wigglesworth wrote:He's right.

Ofcourse he's right. The media are just to much... Every single thing he does, they need to report. I don't know what they see in him. I don't mean on the pitch, but I mean off the pitch, what is he so interesting? I don't understand why Newspaper put so much interest on him... Do readers take in to any interest for this? I'm guessing those who are racist ofcourse who want him out of the national team. Who knows this can be the newspapers objectives... but this is Italy lol...

What do you think Wiggles? Now don't get the wrong impression, I'm not stating anything about Balotelli's talents or potential affecting his attention, I'm just saying what do you think about the newspapers ruining Balotelli's career like this?

ragbirjosh wrote:LOL this dude balotelli apart from being an obvious troll at times has really impressed me with his personality.It's cool that he admits he's naive and he does a lot of charitable and nice things.

People really have the wrong impression of him

That contradiction took 6.4353 seconds

I can't really hate on the guy though, not after he single handedly trolled the entire United squad

@ LEX yea I know he's a troll , but some people think the guy is filled with the childish petulance that defines the word superstar. From what he says I think the guy has a genuine love for not just playing football , but it's culture as well.

I wonder if the Italian mafioso like the Azzurri...

Probably treat Mario like royalty.

Backspacer wrote:I wonder if the Italian mafioso like the Azzurri...

Probably treat Mario like royalty.

I highly doubt any Mafioso would even agree to have Balotelli on the squad tho...

He shouldn't pay attention to the media. Although all his stunts don't help, either. I don't get him, he does it for the attention or because he wants to get out of ManC... he basically needs to get his shit together and stop bitching, to unleash his potential.

I hate how biased those media fools (especially in england) are against Mario. He is entirely right, they are disgusting. Here he his, looking at different problems in the world, and the media finds some way to turn it into mafia-relations, when all he is doing is looking around, and even has the time to play with locals.

Sure has has been known to act differently off the pitch (to say the least) but in reality he is not a bad guy, and i have a lot of respect for him.

Get off his back!!

Kill them Mario ...

It's good to see that he has a good side, but he has to get rid of the negative impression he's giving the world.

He's a good kid who gets may too much stick for the things he does, guilty or innocent. Sure he is a bit childish, but so are other players, it's only he who the media lynches.

where does he mention that hes disguisted by the media?

clearly its the italian police ffs

whatever problems he has, whetever reaction hes got,its 100x less than what he had in italy

seirea fans can get off their high horses

Balotelli is right, the way media treats him is unacceptable.

id like to point out that in the old forum before he moved to city,i was the only 1 to stick up for balotelli and 99% of seire a fans were against me, thats literally the truth

now hes moved to city and its "poor mario getting unfairly picked on"

i do wonder sometimes...

well, he didnt get picked on as he now does...

Am I the only one digging Lex's sig?

Lex wrote:

ragbirjosh wrote:LOL this dude balotelli apart from being an obvious troll at times has really impressed me with his personality.It's cool that he admits he's naive and he does a lot of charitable and nice things.

People really have the wrong impression of him

That contradiction took 6.4353 seconds

lmao.

He is still a kid, but he has a very mature side as well.. interesting character

ballo for president after berlu they both are twins just a slight change in the color of the skin