Fireworks and fights: Mario Balotelli life and times at Manchester City - in pictures

August 2010 Little over a fortnight after signing for City in a £22.5m move from Internazionale, Balotelli hits the headlines after crashing his Italian registered matt black Audi R8 into a BMW whilst on his way to the club's training ground. The head on crash on the A56 left both cars undrivable though neither driver was injured in the incident. The Italian is found to be carrying £5,000 in cash at the time of the accident and when police ask why, he reportedly replies: "Because I am rich" Photograph: Eamonn and James Clarke/EMPICS Entertainment

November 2010 Balotelli scores his first Premier League goals in a 2-0 win at West Brom, above is the opening goal ... Photograph: Alex Morton/Action Images

But the achievent is marred when he sees red for kicking out at Youssouf Mulumbu Photograph: Andrew Yates/AFP/Getty Images

December 2010 Roberto Mancini, the City manager, says Balotelli must change his attitude following the striker's claims that he had never heard of Jack Wilshere after beating the Arsenal midfielder to Fifa's Young Player of the Year award Photograph: Andrew Boyers/Action Images

March 2011 Balotelli gets into trouble again after it is revealed that he threw a dart at a City youth-team player. No one was hurt in the incident and he escapes punishment Photograph: Dave Thompson/Press Association

March 2011 Balotelli apologises to his team-mates after he is sent off during a Europa League tie with Dynamo Kyiv for this reckless challenge on Goran Popov Photograph: Chris Brunskill/Back Page Images/Rex Features

July 2011 Balotelli is immediately substituted by an enraged Mancini after performing a pirouette and back-heeling a close-range shot wide when clean through on goal in a pre-season friendly against Los Angeles Galaxy Photograph: Matthew Ashton/AMA/Corbis

October 2011 The Italian has another run-in with the emergency services after a firework is set off in the bathroom of his home, triggering a fire. The next day he scores in the Manchester derby and celebrates by revealing a T-shirt which reads: "Why always me?" .... Photograph: Lee Smith/Action Images

After the incident the Italian signs up as Manchester's ambassador for firework safety. He is also chosen by the Edenbridge Bonfire Society as the bonfire guy for their 2011 Bonfire night celebrations. The 40ft effigy was set ablaze and ignited with fireworks in front of a large crowd at Edenbridge in Kent Photograph: Mark St George/Rex Features

November 2011 The third dismissal of Balotelli's City career arrives in a league match against Liverpool at Anfield, with the 21-year-old dismissed for two yellow card offences Photograph: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images

December 2011Balotelli breaks a club 48-hour curfew by visiting a curry house ahead of a match against Chelsea. Though it didn't seem to affect him adversely as he rounded Chelsea keeper Cech and Ivanovic to score the first goal of the game after just two minutes. However City couldn't hang onto the lead and lost 2-1 Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

December 2011 Just days after the Chelsea game, he again attracts negative headlines after pictures emerge of a training ground bust-up with Micah Richards Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

January 2012 Balotelli is charged with violent conduct by the Football Association, and subsequently handed a four-match ban, after appearing to stamp on the head of Tottenham's Scott Parker during a Premier League match Photograph: Anna Gowthorpe/Press Association Images

March 2012 Balotelli gatecrashes the press conference to announce the appointment of Andrea Stramaccioni as Inter Milan's new coach Photograph: Matteo Bazzi/EPA

April 2012 With a handful of games to go and City's title challenge apparently unravelling, Balotelli is charging around like a bull in a china shop when City travel to the Emirates. He should have been sent off following a shocking first half knee-high challenge on Arsenal's Alex Song ... Photograph: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters

Then he does see red following a needless second yellow card after flooring Bacary Sagna in stoppage time. Mancini suggests the striker has played his last game for City Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian

January 2013 Following his latest bust-up with the Manchester City boss during training, will Mancini's suggestion now come true? Photograph: Paul Cousans/Zenpix Ltd