Yaya Toure has claimed that Mario Balotelli caused a "big mess" when he signed for Manchester City in 2010 while also noting that the Sky Blues failed to get the best out of his natural ability
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Mario Balotelli of Manchester City celebrates scoring their first goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Manchester United and Manchester City at Old Trafford
Mario Balotelli found himself under scrutiny at Manchester City(Image: Matthew Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images)
Yaya Toure reckons Mario Balotelli created a "big mess" when he arrived at Manchester City.
The team-mates both arrived the Etihad in 2010, with Toure joining from Barcelona in July in a £24million move and Balotelli signing the following month from Inter Milan. And while the two players managed to help City to an FA Cup in their debut season and a Premier League title in 2011/12, Balotelli's personality proved problematic both on and off the pitch.
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Speaking on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, presented by Qatar Airways, Toure said: "When Balotelli arrived, it was a big mess. A lot of problems." He added: "You're always going to have it with Balotelli. Definitely. At some point, to be honest.
"Because he was that guy where you have to be... he's nice, guys. You know, very kind. But at some point, when his head goes off, he goes off, you know. And sometimes he's unfortunate, to be honest. Because he's... I love him, yeah. He's innocent all the time.
"He's always innocent in the things. But when the thing happens, he's on it. You know, he's involved. And sometimes I was surprised. 'Mario, you were sitting there. How do you end up sitting there? Any other problem in there? Go back and you'll see'. He said, 'Yeah, I don't know.'"
Toure's comments come after he denied claims that he was involved in a personal confrontation with Balotelli during Manchester City's 3-3 draw with Sunderland in March 2012. Reports suggested that at 2-1 down headed into half-time, the City stars were involved in a war with words before they returned to the field to make up their deficit to clinch a point.
Addressing the report, Toure explained: "They said I fought with Mario at Swansea and against Sunderland. That shocked me. My lawyers called me about this, and it was the first I knew about it. To say we had a fight is very sad. It upset me, and I feel sorry for Mario. He suffers most from these things. At half-time against Sunderland, it was very difficult. But everybody was quiet.
Mario Balotelli speaks with Manchester City's Ivorian midfielder Yaya Toure during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Blackburn Rovers at Etihad Stadium
Mario Balotelli and Yaya Toure spent three years together at Manchester City
"We were just looking at each other, trying to find a way to turn the result. But I didn't even talk to Mario. The next day, he sent me a text message saying, 'Apparently, we had a fight'. I just want to stop people writing and thinking that."
Elsewhere in conversation with Ferdinand, Toure explained that City failed to get the best out of Balotelli during his three-year stint with the club - explaining how the coaches struggled to control him and mould him. He said: "Even we players, we failed him at some point, you know.
"Because he can make mistakes. He can take wrong cards. He can do wrong things. But we have to be able to look after him most of the time. But we didn't do that. But me, myself, as I know about Mario, I know when he's coming to get on some point of his games, you have to be like coming hungry or nervous.
"It's like people are. Because when you're too relaxed and happy, he's not going to do nothing, you know. You have to push him and make him angry at some point to take all this out from him, you know. And for me, Balotelli, of course, I feel very sorry people didn't see all this ability.
"Because in training, we've been seeing so incredible ability there, you know—dribbling, shooting, being able to shoot from the middle back sometimes to score goals. Because he had that crazy shot on him. His power and his feet. And he's quite fast and he's a good dribbler. People will see him a little bit like that…a bit like [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic, you know—the craziness. And the ability as well on the pitch."
Referee Martin Atkinson shows Mario Balotelli of Man City a red card during the Barclays Premier League match between Arsenal and Manchester City at Emirates Stadium
Mario Balotelli came under fire for his mentality on the pitch at times(Image: Getty Images)
With 30 goals and six assists from 80 appearances for the club, Balotelli secured a transfer to AC Milan in 2013 before going on to represent Liverpool, Nice, Marseille and Brescia, to name but a few. He later joined Genoa in 2024 - where he continues to play at the age of 34.
Toure, meanwhile, racked up three Premier League titles, an FA Cup and two League Cups before parting ways with City in 2018. He enjoyed a brief spell with Olympiacos before moving on to Qingdao Huanghai the following year. He left the club in January 2020 and has since stepped into the world of management - currently serving as an assistant for Saudi Arabia's national team.
Listen to the full Rio Meets Yaya Touré interview on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.