Errant frontman Mario Balotelli insisted he has nothing to prove when Italy tackle his adopted home England in the Euro 2012 quarter-final here on Sunday.
Manchester City’s Balotelli has spent the last two seasons terrorising defences – and occasionally youth team players and bathrooms – in England and will now come up against team-mates and regular foes alike for his homeland.
The often controversial star, who attracted negative headlines for pranks such as throwing darts at City youth team players and setting fire to his bathroom when letting off fireworks inside his home, says his goal against Ireland means he has already answered his critics.
“I don’t have to show anything to anyone, not to England, not to Italy and not to anyone,” he said.
“I’m not a Super Mario or a Stupid Mario, I’m just Mario and those who know me, know who I (really) am.
“It was important for me to score because I had been trying to do that in the previous two games but hadn’t managed it.
“But it’s not a case of the handbrake being off now, I scored a goal and that can happen.”
Balotelli’s agent Mino Raiola previously described him as Peter Pan while Italy team-mate Daniele De Rossi said the 21-year-old was becoming a man and taking responsibility for himself, a concept summed up in the Italian word ometto (little man).
Asked which description was better suited to him, Balotelli plumped for the fairytale.
“I think this is a metaphor for me as a person not a player. I am a man,” he said.
“I think he (Raiola) said Peter Pan because he wanted to be nice and maybe Peter Pan is closer because I’m free.”
It will be the first time Balotelli plays against his Man City team-mates in an Italy shirt and the temperamental star says he is looking forward to it, but he intends to heap misery on the likes of Joe Hart, Joleon Lescott and James Milner.
“I hope it’s going to be a good match and I think it will be fun to play against my team-mates,” he added.
“They know me and I know them, I just hope it’s going to be nice and fun. I don’t expect anything, I hope we win because I want to win and even though they’re team-mates, I hope they lose.”