REUTERS, 26/09 20:43 CET
(Reuters) – Maverick AC Milan forward Mario Balotelli has apologised for a sending-off against Napoli which earned him a three-match ban but claimed he was provoked.
Balotelli was dismissed for arguing with the referee at the end of Sunday’s 2-1 home defeat and suspended the following day.
“I apologise to my team mates, who train hard every day. I also apologise to the referee,” he said in an interview with Sky Sports Italia. “I reacted the wrong way to provocation.
“Mario has made a mistake,” he added. “He has been provoked and made a mistake in reacting.
“If Mario makes a bad mistake, Mario should be punished…But against Napoli it was the same old story, the fouls against me didn’t count for anything, I was the only one who could do anything wrong.”
(Writing by Brian Homewood in Berne; Editing by John Mehaffey)
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