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Mario may be forced out of English football

Manchester City's Mario Balotelli reacts after scoring from the penalty sport against Tottenham Hotspur during their English Premier League soccer match at The Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England, Sunday Jan. 22, 2012. City won the match 3-2. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

Mario Balotelli’s agent has warned the striker could quit English football if he continues to receive what he sees as unfair treatment.

Balotelli, 21, is facing a four-match ban after being charged with violent conduct by the Football Association.

The City forward appeared to stamp on Scott Parker before scoring a late penalty to secure Manchester City’s 3-2 win over Tottenham on Sunday.

“I think he feels persecuted; he cannot go on like that,” said Mino Raiola.

Agent Raiola added on BBC Radio 5 live: “We had a very clear image of his career at the beginning and I told the press openly Mario will have to stay at Manchester City for at least three of four years, helping the club on this important project and grow as a man and a player.

“Obviously if he’s being banned every three or four games for one reason or another we cannot go on like that and there needs to be an end to that.

“So if that’s the case and English referees and the English FA would like Mario to go out of England then we would take that seriously in consideration, even if that’s not and was not our intention.

“He [Mario] is very disappointed about the decision. He loves playing in England. He keeps asking ‘why always me, why does it always come back to me?’ He loves playing in England and I think he feels persecuted.”

Balotelli joined City in a £24m deal from Inter Milan in the summer of 2010 but has been involved in a number of controversies on and off the pitch.

He has been sent off three times, was unable to continue after suffering an allergy to the grass in Kiev, threw a dart at a reserve team player and escaped injury after a firework was let off in his house.

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