Balotelli accused of throwing pasta at teammate while with Italy U-21s

Mario Balotelli once threw a plate of pasta at a teammate's face while on international duty with Italy's Under-21 side, according to Spartak Moscow defender Salvatore Bocchetti.

Bocchetti told Russian television that he saw Balotelli just as the tabloids depicted him: a talented player with a crazy side.

The victim on this occasion was Marco Motta, formerly of Juventus, although the incident took place years ago.

All three of them were representing the Azzurrini, as Italy's youth sides are nicknamed.

"One day we were eating in the dining room with the rest of the squad," Bocchetti said in quotes translated by the Independent. "Balotelli arrived and he just threw a plate of pasta into the face of Marco Motta!

"He's a good player but he's got no head! He's crazy! He's got no brain."

Bocchetti later said on Twitter that his comment was misinterpreted, blaming his poor Russian.

"I didn't want to say that Mario has no brain, I wanted to say that sometimes he didn't use it when he was young," wrote the 29-year-old, who also played for AC Milan briefly in 2015. "I was speaking in Russian and it's not my language!

"I respect him as a man/friend and as a player, I wish him all the best!"

It's hard to tell the truth when it comes to Balotelli, who, for one, denies setting off fireworks in a bathroom in Manchester years ago. That was among the many headlines written about him - often in a harsh light.

The past two years were difficult for the 26-year-old striker, but his disciplinary record wasn't to blame. A groin injury prevented Balotelli from performing at his best during his second stint with Milan last season.

He's now enjoying football again after sealing a free transfer to OGC Nice over the summer. Scoring four goals in his first two Ligue 1 matches, Balotelli has endeared himself to fans of the south coast side.