Mario Balotelli given one game ban & £25k fine for Instagram post

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Italian reprimanded by the FA…

The FA has banned Mario Balotelli for one game and fined him £25k for an offensive Instagram picture he shared on his account a few weeks back, the Telegraph reports.

The ban means Balotelli will miss the Arsenal clash on Sunday, meaning we’re likely to continue deploying Raheem Sterling as a false 9 against the Gunners.

The FA deemed the phrase “jumps like a black man and grabs coins like a jew,” which featured alongside a picture of Super Mario, potentially both racist and anti-semitic; and charged him with an aggravated breach of E3, as it included a reference to both race and religion.

The ban isn’t longer because the Italian immediately apologised, and has a Jewish foster mother – and it’s been accepted that while his post was miscalculated, it wasn’t malicious.

“The club acknowledges the decision reached by the independent panel and due consideration will be given to the written judgement once we receive it from the FA,” a Liverpool spokesperson said.

“Any further action taken by ourselves in relation to this matter is between the club and player.”

The Italian has yet to score in the Premier League, and will now have to wait until at least the Boxing day clash with Burnley to break his duck.

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