Mancini not anticipating Mario madness

Mancini not anticipating Mario madness

Published Aug. 14, 2010 1:31 p.m. ET

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini is confident he will have no problems with Mario Balotelli's notoriously fiery temper.

A deal estimated, to be around £22million, has taken Mancini's summer spending beyond the £100million mark, placing a huge weight of expectation on the Italian ahead of the new campaign.

And, with Balotelli, Mancini is also inheriting a combustible character, who twice angered former boss Jose Mourinho enough to stop him playing for Inter Milan, including appearing on TV in a shirt of rivals AC Milan.

Yet, Mancini does not view Balotelli's indiscretions as any more than the folly of youth.

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"Balotelli is a young guy and he is a good guy," said the City chief.

"Like all the young men, sometimes his behaviour is not good. But it is wrong to say he is not a good man.

"I don't believe he will have a big problem."

Mancini will have to wait until the home encounter with Liverpool on August 23 to hand Balotelli his debut as the new Italy striker did not sign in time to be considered this weekend and he was not part of the squad City submitted to UEFA for their two-legged Europa League tie with Timisoara.

However, when he does eventually unleash Balotelli on the Premier League, Mancini is confident his most recent recruit will be an instant hit.

"In one or two years, he could become one of the best players in the world," said Mancini.

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