Update: |Mario Balotelli makes cryptic threat after former Man City star was frozen out by Arsenal legend News

Former Man City pair Mario Balotelli and Patrick Vieira do not see eye to eye these days, and it is impacting both their careers

Former Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli has threatened to behave like his ’16-year-old rebellious’ old self, in a thinly-veiled dig towards employers Genoa and manager Patrick Vieira, who currently have him exiled from first-team activities.

Balotelli played for Man City between 2010 and 2013. The striker scored 30 goals in 80 appearances though it is probably his assist for Sergio Aguero on the final day of the 2011/12 campaign against QPR that he will be remembered for in the Premier League history books.

This was the third club of 13 he has played for in his career to date, the latest being Genoa since October of last year. Except the now-34-year-old has done little in terms of playing for his current side, his last appearance of only six totalling 56 minutes of playing time coming on December 21.

And in what appears to be a strike out at those not allowing him to feature, Balotelli has posted a story to Instagram with the caption: “Around here they deserve the rebellious 16-year-old Mario. Maybe that way they would understand what it means to truly lack respect.”

Balotelli was no stranger to controversy, both on and off the pitch, during his time in Manchester and his latest issues appear to stem from a breakdown of his relationship with Genoa manager Patrick Vieira.

The Frenchman is most loved in north London for being an Arsenal invincible though has also transformed into a capable coach – a career change that began at the Etihad Stadium.

Vieira closed out his playing days, alongside Balotelli as a teammate, in the 2010/11 campaign. He immediately took up the position of football development executive for Man City and later progressed to elite development squad manager.

Another move within City Football Group saw the Frenchman become New York City FC manager in 2015 then three years later he would become Nice’s next coach.

There he would reunite with Balotelli, who had the best spell of his career with an individual club so far, scoring 43 goals in 76 outings. But his goals would tail off amid a disagreement between striker and manager.

“I lived in Villefranche, and it was crazy. I was smiling every day, I went to the sea every day. It was a dream life,” Balotelli said in an interview in April.

“The problem was that the way Vieira played didn’t really suit me. I got along well with him, but on sporting matters, I didn’t agree. If I hadn’t had these problems with him, I would never have left Nice,” Balotelli explained last April.

Vieira, speaking long before in 2020, had told his account: “Mario’s mindset was difficult for a collective sport. The philosophy I wanted to put in place, the togetherness and work ethic I wanted to build, it was difficult for me to work with a player like Mario.

“It was really difficult for both of us to work together, so we decided to go different ways.”

And fast-forward a number of years, Vieira was appointed Genoa manager a month after Balotelli joined and the two have not been able to find a way beyond their differences.