Top drawer: Balotelli, left, M’Baye Niang, right and El Shaarawy sleep in a luggage rack (Picture: Stephan El Shaarawy/Twitter)

Mario Balotelli has been a different player for AC Milan from the one that left Manchester City in January.

The goals have flowed for club and country, with not a training-ground bust-up in sight.

Endearingly so, however, the Italian is still his same off-pitch self, losing none of his fondness for the surreal as this picture, tweeted by Milan team-mate Stephan El Shaarawy, illustrates.

The photograph, ripe for a caption competition, shows Balotelli, El Shaarawy and French striker M’Baye Niang asleep in a luggage rack on a train – presumably on their way back from Verona, where the Rossoneri beat Chievo 1-0 on Saturday.




Forward El Shaarawy offered little in the way of explanation in his accompanying message, merely tweeting: ‘OK, we sleep – Happy Easter to all!’

MORE: Balotelli’s top 10 craziest moments as a Manchester City player

Happy days: Balotelli celebrates Riccardo Montolivo’s winner at Chievo (Picture: Reuters)