[Cowden til i die]

Mario is a w****r. I've said it before and I'll say it again but I'm fed up with the w**k rest around him.

[yoda]

As has been said, if this was any other player apart from Mario Balotelli there would be no outcry regarding a punishment. It's obvious (from every replay available) that he intentionally made an attempt to make contact with Parker.

[Supras]

Yep, it looked pretty intentional to me from the start. I am surprised it has become such a big thing.

He does initially catch him which looks accidental but afterwards it looks a clear stamp and is completely needless. He only has himself to blame really, there are big downsides to ego.

Being seen as public enemy number 1 by some certainly didn't help and the fact he isn't an England international sealed his fate really.

[H_B]

Don't think there is any chance of a City appeal. They aren't that stupid.

[Supras]

H_B, on 24 January 2012 - 13:47, said:

Don't think there is any chance of a City appeal. They aren't that stupid.

They appealed the Kompany challenge which was pretty batant.

It's a shame becuase he showed (once again) what a fabulous player he is and the real damage he can do on the pitch.

[MattBairn]

DomDom, on 24 January 2012 - 13:30, said:

Balotelli flung that leg back with intent. It's clear as day from every fucking angle. How anyone can try and defend it is hilarious.

Agreed.

[H_B]

Supras, on 24 January 2012 - 13:53, said:

They appealed the Kompany challenge which was pretty batant.

Yeah, true.

You'd hope they have learned their lesson from that, but maybe not.

[Kris.]

http://www.guardian....gent?CMP=twt_gu

Balotelli's agent goes on a wee rant here. What a tit.

[Supras]

He is right about the bias against foreign players though. How else did Shearer get off with something that was so much worse and more blatant? How did Rooney get off with elbowing McCarthy?

[Cowden til i die]

Supras, on 24 January 2012 - 23:46, said:

He is right about the bias against foreign players though. How else did Shearer get off with something that was so much worse and more blatant? How did Rooney get off with elbowing McCarthy?

Correct! It's utterly pathetic.

[HEED]

Supras, on 24 January 2012 - 23:46, said:

He is right about the bias against foreign players though. How else did Shearer get off with something that was so much worse and more blatant? How did Rooney get off with elbowing McCarthy?

There's no doubt that the FA seem to turn a blind eye to incidents with English players, it will be interesting once the outcome of Terry's case to see what will happen there.

At the end of the day though, Balotelli's agent is being a bit of a cock, If you don't attempt to stamp on people then you won't be facing a suspension so it's really nobody else's fault apart from Balotelli's.

[craigkillie]

English players do sometimes get banned - remember Rooney's ridiculous ban for shouting into a camera.

I think there is more of a reluctance to do so though.

[Supras]

HEED, on 25 January 2012 - 07:11, said:

If you don't attempt to stamp on people then you won't be facing a suspension so it's really nobody else's fault apart from Balotelli's.

Absolutely, I've already said the exact same thing. Any outrage is unjustified, if he is really considering his position in British football (which I doubt) then it really doesn't say much for him as a person. Does he think he would get away with it in Italy? He is hated a lot more there.

craigkillie, on 25 January 2012 - 09:04, said:

English players do sometimes get banned - remember Rooney's ridiculous ban for shouting into a camera.

I think there is more of a reluctance to do so though.

Yeah, that was just bizarre though. And the television companies may have had a bit of influence on it.

[forameus]

Completely deserved the ban of course. You could see why he wasn't sent off at the time - it happened so quickly, and it was easy to miss from that one single angle, especially when you only get one shot. He really had to be punished retroactively though. There was clear intent there, even if it wasn't his intention to stamp on his head. I think he just meant a petulant kick, then suddenly realised he'd struck the head, and regretted it. I suppose it proves there's at least one brain-cell in there if nothing else.

The worrying part is that arguably a worse and much clearer offence has gone unpunished - Lescott's forearm smash on Kaboul. City have lucked out - I think they would much rather lose Balotelli for 4 games than Lescott

[Swampy]

The FA say that City have declined to appeal the ban.