Manchester City star

Mario Balotelli has displayed his less-seen compassionate side by helping a young boy to overcome problems with a school bully, according to reports.

The youngster was hanging around outside City’s Carrington training ground and asked the maverick striker for his autograph, but Balotelli was more interested in why the little scamp was wagging school.

Mario Balotelli insisted on helping one boy beat a bully. (PA)

After the child told him he was being bullied, Balotelli immediately drove the boy and his mother to the school in question to give the bully a ticking off.

The Italian international then demanded to see the headmaster to make him aware of the issue, and even mediated as the two boys were sat down to resolve their differences.




A source is quoted by one paper as saying: ‘Mario feels strongly about bullying and thinks it’s out of order.

‘He had no qualms about sorting the mess out as he felt the lad should not be missing out on school.’

Despite courting controversy on and off the pitch throughout his first season in the Premier League, Balotelli has occasionally displayed something of a Good Samaritan streak.

Last month, it was reported that the 20-year-old celebrated a £25,000 casino win in Manchester by giving £1,000 to a local homeless man .