Even for those used to the drama of elite football, few stories are as unpredictable as those involving Mario Balotelli. Former Manchester City kitman Les Chapman recently shared a series of remarkable anecdotes with the Daily Mail, giving fans—and followers of BD Cricket Live—a front-row seat to the chaos and brilliance of one of football’s most controversial characters.
Chapman opened up about the infamous clash between then-manager Roberto Mancini and Carlos Tevez during Manchester City’s match in Munich. “I don’t know why Mancini had it out for Tevez,” he remarked. “He had fallouts with Hart, Lescott, Nasri, Džeko, Kompany—even Tevez himself.” Chapman pointed out that when Manuel Pellegrini later took over, the entire atmosphere changed. “Pellegrini would talk to you, shake your hand—it was a totally different vibe.”
The incident in Munich, where Tevez was accused of refusing to come on, was, according to Chapman, misunderstood. Tevez didn’t refuse to play; he had simply completed his warm-up and thought it unnecessary to do more. Mancini had publicly declared that Tevez would never play for City again, only to later reinstate him, recognizing his undeniable talent. There were even rumors of a physical altercation between Mancini and Tevez during halftime of one match. When asked who would’ve won that brawl, Chapman joked, “If it really happened, Tevez might have killed him!”
But it was Balotelli who truly stood out in Chapman’s stories. “He’s the most unpredictable person on the planet,” Chapman said. “He’s the kind of guy who’d use something once and toss it.” After being sent off in a game against Arsenal, Balotelli returned to the dressing room and hurled his boots at the television, smashing it. And yet, for all his wild behavior, he wasn’t stupid—just incredibly unpredictable.
Balotelli’s generosity was also legendary. He’d cover everyone’s parking fees, give large sums of money to the homeless, and question why his car had been towed 27 times—unaware that camouflage paint and parking on double yellow lines outside San Carlo in Manchester every day weren’t the best choices. Chapman recalled once opening Balotelli’s locker, only for a mountain of parking tickets to tumble out.
Speaking of Mancini, Chapman admitted, “We won the Premier League and the FA Cup under him—he’s a legend to the fans. I get it. But he loved to pick fights and was hard to deal with.”
In a world where discipline often defines champions, Balotelli’s career serves as a reminder that raw talent doesn’t always come in neat packages. For sports fans who thrive on the unexpected—like those who follow BD Cricket Live—Balotelli’s legacy remains a compelling mix of brilliance, madness, and unforgettable moments. And as stories like these surface, it’s clear that some players leave a mark not just on the pitch but in every room they ever walked into—often, quite literally. For viewers of BD Cricket Live, these larger-than-life personalities are part of what makes sport truly unforgettable.