Why Always Me? by Frank Worrall

Author:Frank Worrall [Frank Worrall]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781782193739
Publisher: John Blake
Published: 2013-06-05T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TEN

END OF THE HURT

Those 35 years of hurt for Manchester City and their fans finally came to a welcome end on 11 May, 2011. That was the day when they banished the misery of all those years without winning a major trophy. It was also the day when Mario Balotelli proved conclusively that he DID have the talent on the football field to back up his larger-than-life antics off it – as he was named the Man of the Match after a fine performance at Wembley as City beat Stoke City 1-0 to lift the FA Cup.

The bookmakers paddypower.com set the scene well for an occasion that had City as favourites, with the battlers of Stoke rank outsiders, ‘Billionaires Manchester City the firm favourites. Despite their recent lack of silverware and the fact that it’s their first appearance in the FA Cup Final since a certain Ricky Villa ended their hopes in 1981, Manchester City are the firm 8/11 favourites to win their fifth FA Cup.

‘Whilst never seriously threatening to take the Premier League title this season, Roberto Mancini’s side have gradually improved and look set to claim their place in next season’s lucrative Champions League. A lot of money has been spent on City’s attack – Carlos Tevez, Mario Balotelli and Edin Dzeko cost over £100 million between them – but it has been City’s defensive solidity that has been the key to their success this season. They have only conceded three goals in this season’s tournament, and none since Neal Bishop’s goal for Notts County threatened an upset in the Fourth Round. Clean sheets against Aston Villa, Reading and neighbours Manchester United have carried them to their first FA Cup final in thirty years and Stoke’s biggest problem will be penetrating an impressive rearguard.

‘Vincent Kompany will captain City if Carlos Tevez fails to recover from the injury he sustained against Liverpool and, alongside Joleon Lescott, forms one of the best central defensive partnerships in the league. Tevez’s injury is City’s main concern ahead of the final, with neither Mario Balotelli nor Edin Dzeko showing anything like the form that prompted Roberto Mancini to spend the best part of £60 million.’

Well, now was the chance – and the perfect time – for Mario to show he was worth the money Mancini had invested in him. Before the Final, Mario told the Press that he was actually a sweet, shy guy and that the image of him as a brash exhibitionist was far from the reality, ‘My public image is absolutely not a fair reflection of who I am. Sometimes I do the wrong thing and there are things I regret but I’m 20. People who know me are aware I’m not a bad guy but I’m shy; I stay at home and play on the PlayStation and sometimes I go shopping. In Italy, I have a lot of friends I can do things with. When I was at home on a day off, I would go to the shooting range, or do a lesson of [martial art] Muay Thai or go-karting.

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