Mario Balotelli: Fc Sion Releases Statement Addressing Reports Striker Has Gone AWOL

• Mario Balotelli’s life in Switzwrland has not gotten off to the best start
• The Italian is already on the wrong side of FC Sion fans after he was spotted staggering out of a nightclub in Laussane
• Balotelli secured a deadline day move to Sion, the 11th club of his career

Swiss side FC Sion has come out to rescue Balotelli from a string of criticism after the Italian was allegedly spotted leaving a nightclub drunk barely weeks after signing for the club.

Balotelli made the switch to Sion on deadline day after falling out with the manager of Adana Demirspor manager Vincenzo Montella.

Since the move, the 32-year-old has only featured for Sion twice and is yet to find the back of the net.

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Over the weekend, a video surfaced appearing to show Balotelli staggering out of a club in Laussane in the company of a lady.

The video has since elicited back clash from Sion fans, who started questioning Balotelli’s professionalism.

Sion’s response

As per a report on SunSport, Sion FC was quick to diffuse reports that Balotelli had gone AWOL as they released a statement saying the striker was not training because he was down with illness.

"FC Sion learned with astonishment of several articles relaying a video of our player Mario Balotelli in Lausanne and rumours indicating that he would not have given any more news to his club.” A statement from the club read.

"Following the great victory against the Saint-Gallois leader last week, a large part of the team went to the Vaud capital to celebrate this success.

"This week, Mario Balotelli suffered from the onset of bronchitis and was directly supervised by the club's medical service who prescribed him antibiotics."

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Sion travel for a cup match against Rapperswil and the club confirmed Balotelli would not be part of the travelling squad.