I have no problem with racism; Balotelli

Mario Balotelli on racists; “I have been called a monkey many times. I’ve no problem with it but monkeys are more smarter than racists.”

Born in Palermo to Ghanaian parents, Balotelli moved to Brescia as a youngster before joining Inter Milan in 2007 at the age of 16. He referenced a meeting with Juventus in 2009, after which the Bianconeri were ordered to play a game behind closed doors due to the racist abuse shown by their fans:

“Juve-Inter, when I was younger, was a catastrophe—emotionally, it was a disaster. They were making these chants.

“There was no motive as I hadn’t done anything at all. Not to the players or to the fans. When I got home, I asked my mother: ‘Why? Why were they doing that?’

“But there was no explanation. I was a kid, I don’t think they understood how much this really hurt me. Luckily, I have a strong character, but you can really destroy a person.”

Balotelli has represented Manchester City and Liverpool in the Premier League, while he also played for AC Milan in two stints. This isn’t the first time he’s encouraged Italy to catch up with its European peers in regards to racism.