Mario Balotelli has hit out at those claiming he has been fined by Nice for being overweight, with the fiery frontman branding the reports “invented garbage”.
It had been suggested that the striker’s Ligue 1 employers had taken action on the back of a frustrating start to the season.
Balotelli, after a summer of speculation regarding his future, was said to have returned to the fold carrying a few extra pounds.
Nice president Jean-Pierre Rivere told Nice Matin: “Mario will have a great season because we’ll put him in the best condition and because he’s a great player.