AC Milan forward Mario Balotelli insists he has not upset his club by posting a picture of himself holding a table-tennis bat, despite having a shoulder injury.#INSERT
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caption:Mario Balotelli injured his shoulder during AC Milan's 1-0 Champions League defeat to Atletico.
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Reports claimed the Rossoneri were unhappy with the 23-year-old for challenging people to beat him at ping-pong with a post on Twitter showing him with a bat in his left hand, and a ball in his mouth.
A dressing can be seen on his right shoulder where he is currently receiving treatment for an injury which has sidelined him for over a fortnight.
Good night to everyone! And if someone think to beat me just let me know! I own you all i bet! I Never lost! �� pic.twitter.com/On4kNUGr85
— Mario Balotelli (@FinallyMario) March 5, 2014
In response to the reports that Milan were disapppointed with the picture, Balotelli asked: "What are Milan unhappy about?", saying he had not actually played table tennis, and that he is left-handed anyway.
Il Milan non gradisce cosa? Il Ping pong ? Ahahh ahahahahah ! Ah non ho giocato era solo una foto ma anche se avessi giocato sono mancino!
— Mario Balotelli (@FinallyMario) March 6, 2014
Immediately afterwards, in another Tweet, he reminded readers not to believe anything which is written about him unless it comes from his Twitter account.
Sul mio stato di Twitter c'è scritto non credete a niente a meno che non provenga da qui! Ci sarà un motivo se l ho scritto no?
— Mario Balotelli (@FinallyMario) March 6, 2014
"Carry on thinking I'm an idiot ;-). I eat people like "you" (who judge without knowing) for breakfast," Balotelli wrote in his next Tweet before posting a further picture of himself receiving treatment on his injured shoulder.
Continuate pure a credermi uno scemo ;-) . Quelli come "voi" ( che giudicano senza conoscere) li mangio in partenza.
— Mario Balotelli (@FinallyMario) March 6, 2014
"I'm doing my utmost to recover for Saturday. I can't cope not playing any longer," he wrote.
L'impossibile! Sto cercando al massimo delle mie forze di recuperare per sabato! Non ce la faccio piú a non giocare. pic.twitter.com/OhgKPVpTZc
— Mario Balotelli (@FinallyMario) March 6, 2014
Finally, clearly frustrated with the latest invasion of his privacy, Balotelli posted another Tweet, in English, saying: "CAN I LIVE??"
CAN I LIVE??
— Mario Balotelli (@FinallyMario) March 6, 2014
His last appearance for Milan came in the 1-0 Champions League defeat to Atletico Madrid on Feb. 19.
He was replaced in the 77th minute clutching his shoulder following an awkward fall, and missed Serie A games against Sampdoria and Juventus due to damage to his acromioclavicular joint.
Balotelli is fighting to be fit to face Udinese on Saturday night or return at Tuesday at the latest, when Milan travel to Madrid for the second leg of their last-16 European tie with Atletico.