The madcap antics of Manchester City star Mario Balotelli are to be chronicled to music in a new opera.
City fan and composer Patrick Knowles has already written the first piece for the musical, entitled 'Balotelli — Why Always Me?'
The phrase was emblazoned upon a T-shirt worn by Balotelli during the famous 6-1 derby win at the Old Trafford home of city rivals United in October.
Balotelli's famous tee-shirt, a response to newspaper stories about his life
Many of the stories about the 21-year-old's life in Manchester have been frankly bizarre - a list of them are featured at the bottom of this story.
Knowles, 65, from Stockport, Cheshire believes the show could be as big a hit as 'Jerry Springer: The Opera'.
"It could be the biggest thing since Jerry Springer," he is quoted in the Daily Star on Sunday. "By normal standards he's crazy - but people haven't had his experience.
"Now he does things like go to a casino and hands some of his winnings to a tramp. To put that to music would be amazing.
"You couldn't write this kind of thing. It's a gift from heaven."
Balotelli reportedly gave £1,000 to a tramp after winning £25,000 at a casino.
He also made the tabloids when friends set fire to his bathroom after letting off fireworks inside it, causing £400,000 of damage.
He was recently told to quit smoking by City boss Roberto Mancini, who has largely tolerated the volatile goalscorer but was once reported to have thrown luggage at him.
Other stories reported by the papers include him rescuing a Manchester schoolchild from bullying, using the toilet in another school - just over a week ago - having his car impounded 27 times, suffering an allergic reaction to grass and throwing darts from a first-floor window at youth team players because he was bored.
"We'd tell his story from the start — it's fantastic," added Knowles.
"I don't think there's any bad blood in him. I'd hope to improve the image of Mario Balotelli."
City's supporters even sing a song chronicling his 'exploits' during matches, but it is probably too rude to be included in the opera... probably.
Read about Balotelli's madcap life in these stories - and check out Tinchy Stryder's 'Mario Balotelli song' at the bottom:
Balotelli visits school to use toilet
Balotelli urged to quit smoking
School named after City star Balotelli
Balotelli: Serie A is getting worse
Balotelli, the joker and the chief
Meet Balotelli's bad-boy brethren
Balotelli 'sets fire to house with firework'
Balotelli to be quizzed over mafia tour
Balotelli hit by team-mates' kipper prank
Balotelli: I don't like Manchester
Balotelli buys motorbike, immediately banned from riding it
Balotelli's Lake District getaway
Balotelli saves boy from bullying
Balotelli's car impounded 27 times
Mancini: We can put Balotelli in jail
Balotelli 'threw darts from window'
Mancini 'lobbed luggage at Balotelli'
Balotelli suffers allergic reaction to grass

31 comments