Mario Balotelli punches his own teammate on bench after being subbed

Footage has gone viral, showing ex-Premier League player Mario Balotelli punches his own teammate on the bench after being subbed.

The 31 year old Italian appeared to throw his fist at one of his own players in frustration after being taken off early on Friday night.

Balotelli now plays his football in Turkey with newly-promoted Adana Demirspor after leaving ambitious Serie B outfit Monza in the summer.

Demirspor had been drawing 0-0 with Konyaspor when Balotelli was taken off by manager Samet Aybaba in the 56th minute.

However, the decision didn’t go down well with Balotelli, who clearly can be seen having a paddy, hitting out at members of his own team who looked on with surprise.

The forward took his seat in the dugout, then threw his shin pads down in frustration, while shouting at a teammate and his coach.

The former Italy international then bizarrely took his frustration out on one of his teammates sat next to him – but thankfully the player seemed unfazed by what had just happened… as if it was a rather normal sight to see with Mario.

Demirspor took the lead just a few minutes after the incident played out, thanks to a strike from former Nottingham Forest and Middlesbrough forward Britt Assombalonga., yes really, Balotelli and Assombalonga on the same team!

However, the game ended honours even thanks to a late equaliser from Konyaspor defender Abdulkerim Bardakci.

The result meant that Balotelli and his new side are yet to win any of their opening three Super Lig games since returning to the top flight.

🚨⚽️ | NEW: Mario Balotelli has punched one of his team mates after being substituted pic.twitter.com/DGZF9T6hn4

— Football For All (@FootballlForAll) August 28, 2021

Fans reacted as Mario Balotelli punches his own teammate on bench after being subbed…

@Dompotts_: He’s done well in his career but could have done so much better if he had a better attitude

@BelcherHCAFC: Such a nobhead

@Sean99Wall: Weird bloke

@AndzEmilio6: His career in a nutshell

@S4RGE_: No way he still acts like a kid?

@KyIeverton: so embarrassing, he’s like 40 and still acting like this

@H5mmels: Fucking psycho. Don’t get why people love and support him.

@cwrobinson_: Ever since he scored against us this cunts career has spiralled. Bad prick.

@Bltoddy_tweet: Prize winning whopper

@kazi7__: He’s gotta be one of the worst personalities in football

@Samwise1795: Bloke is such a wierdo

@_Chris2021: He clearly needs help

@Gamestop_Booty: The downfall of this guy

@CityzenAlex: Why am I laughing at this?! Mad Mario 😂😂😂😂

@Gary_Kidson: The most Balotelli thing ever.

@mattj_362: Weird bastard him

@whujack7: Fergie – “He could’ve been killed”

@MCFCHag: Never change mario x

@ab_utd: What’s actually wrong with this man

@Smartveee: This boy needs to book a psychiatrist appointment 😂

@ajmufctalk: Testosterone at an all time high

@BenBaker___: Still a mad man

@UTDCJ_: I was expecting a uppercut ffs

His career has been shrouded in controversy while playing at Manchester City, he almost came to blows with-then manager Roberto Mancini.

Speaking on their encounter Mancini said: “I told him, if you played with me 10 years ago I would give you every day maybe one punch in your head.”

Also at City, he was involved in a car crash, writing off his £120,000 Audi R8 when he collided with a BMW.

Despite passing a breathalyser test, police did find £5,000 in cash on Balotelli.

When asked what he was doing with so much money on him, the Italian replied: “Because I’m rich.”

He also decided to set his bathrooms on fire with fireworks at 1am back in 2011, as you do. Balotelli scored twice the day after the fire at his house, whilst a party was ongoing.

Here’s the damage Mario Balotelli did to his £3m mansion when he let off fireworks indoors http://t.co/S7YZZ8fBbD pic.twitter.com/jVaXhwH58g

— Complex UK (@complex_uk) November 3, 2014

After scoring his first goal in a 6-1 victory at Old Trafford, Balotelli revealed his infamous, perfectly-captioned t-shirt with the slogan “Why always me?” Nothing could have been more apt at that moment in time.

At Inter Milan, he was accused by then-manager Jose Mourinho of not trying hard enough in training and had a number of disciplinary problems, with several senior players also criticising him.

After moving to Manchester City, Balotelli was punished for throwing darts at a youth player, had a number of fights with team-mates and was sent off four times in 17 months.

He told City’s website: “The newspapers for the story wrong about me and the fire at my house. I didn’t set any fireworks off, it was a friend of mine.

“I didn’t know anything about it until I heard shouting coming from the bathroom. Luckily, nobody was injured and my friend apologised for the damage to my house.

“It was a really stupid thing for him to do. Someone could have been really hurt and I was really, really angry with him about it.”

Regardless of who was to blame, firefighters needed breathing apparatus as they spent half an hour putting out the blaze, for which Balotelli was billed £400,000 by his landlord to cover repairs.