Balotelli top controversies

Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli has again found himself in the spotlight for the wrong reasons after his red card in Sunday's 1-0 defeat at Arsenal.

Balotelli was shown two yellows - both for late tackles on Gunners full-back Bacary Sagna - and he may also face retrospective action from the Football Association for an horrendous first-half challenge on Alex Song which went unpunished by referee Martin Atkinson.

Italian Balotelli has been no stranger to controversy since joining Man City in 2010.



Here, we take a look at some more of Balotelli's on- and off-field incidents since his arrival in English football.



CAR CRASH (August 2010): Just days after signing for City, Balotelli hits the headlines after crashing his Audi R8 en route to the club's training ground. Balotelli is found to be carrying £5,000 in cash at the time of the accident and when police ask why, he reportedly replies: "Because I am rich."



FIRST RED CARD (November 2010): Balotelli scores his first Premier League goals in a 2-0 win at West Brom but the achievement is marred when he sees red following a clash with Youssuf Mulumbu.



WILSHERE SNUB (December 2010): City boss Roberto Mancini says Balotelli must change his attitude following his claims he had never heard of Jack Wilshere after beating the Arsenal midfielder to FIFA's young player of the year award.



DART-THROWING INCIDENT (March 2011): Balotelli again hits trouble after it emerges he threw a dart at a City youth-team player. No one was hurt in the incident and he escapes punishment.



SECOND RED CARD (March 2011): Balotelli apologises to his team-mates after he is sent off during a Europa League tie with Dynamo Kiev for a reckless challenge on Goran Popov.



BACK-HEEL BLUNDER (July 2011): Balotelli is immediately substituted by an enraged Mancini after performing a pirouette and back-heeling wide when clean through on goal in a pre-season friendly against the Los Angeles Galaxy.



FIREWORK INCIDENT (October 2011): The Italian has another run-in with the emergency services after a firework is set off in the bathroom of his home, triggering a fire. The next day, he scores in the Manchester derby and celebrates by revealing a T-shirt which reads: "Why always me?"





THIRD RED CARD (November 2011): The third red card of Balotelli's City career arrives in a league match against Liverpool, the 21-year-old dismissed for two yellow cards.

BREAKING CURFEW (December 2011): Balotelli breaks a club 48-hour curfew by visiting a curry house ahead of a match against Chelsea.



RICHARDS CLASH (December 2011): Just days after Balotelli's curfew lapse, he again attracts negative headlines after pictures emerge of a training-ground bust-up with team-mate Micah Richards.



PARKER CLASH (January 2012): Balotelli was charged with violent conduct by the FA, and subsequently handed a four-match ban, after appearing to stamp on the head of Tottenham's Scott Parker during a Premier League match.



INTER PRESS CONFERENCE (March 2012): Balotelli gatecrashes the press conference to announce the arrival of Andrea Stramaccioni as Inter's new coach.

FOURTH RED CARD (April 2012): Balotelli sees red for two bookable challenges on Arsenal full-back Bacary Sagna. Also guilty of a shocking first-half knee-high challenge on Gunners midfielder Alex Song.