MARIO BALOTELLI IS, if nothing else, a fan of irony.
Only days after a fireworks accident at his palatial Cheshire residence resulted in a call to the local emergency services, the Italian has decided to throw his promotional weight behind the Treacle campaign, a public awareness project aimed at the promotion of fire safety in the city of Manchester.
According to the Guardian, the striker, who scored twice during City’s rout of arch-rivals Manchester United on Sunday, is serious about public safety.
“It is important children should not mess with fireworks. They can be very dangerous if they are not used in the right way. People should follow the firework code.”
Softening the story’s comedic edge a little, Balotelli maintains that the blame for Saturday evening’s dramatic events actually lay with the actions of a houseguest.
“”The newspapers got the story wrong about me… I didn’t set any fireworks off, it was a friend of mine”
He didn’t, however, confirm or deny reports that he ran back into the burning building to rescue both his mobile phone and a several thousand pounds in cash.
