Former Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli was "paid thousands" to complete a star-studded BT Sport punditry line-up for Saturday night's Champions League final.
The 32-year-old joined Cesc Fabregas, Joleon Lescott, Rio Ferdinand and Steven Gerrard for BT Sport's pre and post-match coverage of Manchester City's 1-0 victory over Inter Milan at Istanbul's Ataturk Stadium.
Balotelli, who spent two years on Liverpool's books between 2014 and 2016, was announced as a late addition to the broadcaster's punditry contingent on Saturday morning and provided insight into both Inter Milan and Manchester City due to previously having turned out for both sides during his lively playing career.
And with his loyalties split ahead of kick-off at the showpiece final, host Jake Humphrey tried numerous times to ask the 2012 Premier League winner which side he would like to see lift the coveted trophy. However, Balotelli instead refused to answer the question despite the best efforts of the BT Sport's anchorman.
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Experiencing little joy with his assignment, Humphries quickly poked fun at the FC Sion striker, saying: “Hold on, we paid thousands of pounds for this guy and his final comment is ‘no comment’?
“How do I leave BT Sport just as Mario Balotelli arrives, there’s something not right about that.”
Since drawing the curtain on a disastrous spell at Liverpool in the summer of 2016, Balotelli has become something of a journeyman in the European game and turned out for six clubs in seven years, including French sides Marseille and OGC Nice.
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