Relegation after 17 years in the Super League. FC Sion is down. Challenge League is going to be their new reality. A crash that does not come entirely without announcement. The Valais experienced a crazy season. Also because of Mario Balotelli (32). The scandal-striker raised high hopes that he was never able to fulfill. On the contrary. The Italian mainly made a name for himself off the pitch. As most of his career.
During the winter break, FC Sion with their former coach Fabio Celestini (47) traveled to Spain for a training camp. For Mario Balotelli, the trip turned into a celebration. Sources tell Blick, that his hotel room was the epicenter of the festivities and hosted female guests every now and then. One morning, coach Celestini met his superstar in the lobby of the team hotel – drunk. Balotelli was then reported injured for the test match against Stuttgart (0:3). «Mario has pain in his thigh», the report said at the time.
Balotelli punched Constantin in the face
Weeks later back in Switzerland. Sion only managed a 1-1 draw against promoted Winterthur, arriving in the Valais after midnight. And in Martigny VS they celebrated carnival. Sion sports director Barthélémy Constantin (28) decided to take Balotelli along to make him aware of the local customs. The duo dressed up to remain unrecognized - one went as a serial character (House of Money), the other as Pokémon Pikachu.
Suddenly a party guest recognized the footballer. He pulled out the camera. Balotelli wasn't amused. As Blick learned, there were first insults, then fists flew. The stranger went to the ground. Then Constantin intervened as well, he wanted to protect Balotelli. But in the middle of the scuffle, the sports director suddenly received a punch from Balotelli. Ouch!
Sion sports director was «mistaken» about Balotelli
One week later, Constantin was sitting on the bench against St. Gallen at the Tourbillon - his eye bloodshot. Sion lost the game. And the fans then set fire to Balotelli's jersey in the stands. Emblematic.
Balotelli's last slip-up came on May 13 in Geneva. Sion went down 0:5 against Servette. The score was already 0:3 at halftime - President Christian Constantin (66) dismissed coach David Bettoni (51) during the break. And Balotelli decided not to return to the field. He stayed in, was replaced by Musa Araz (29). Will these 45 minutes be Balotelli's last in the Sion dress? Quite possibly. «We have to sort some things out», Barth told Constantin last - and he admitted to having been «mistaken» about Balotelli.
Mannschaft | SP | TD | PT | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |  FC Lugano | 13 | 21 | 34 | |
2 |  BSC Young Boys | 13 | 16 | 28 | |
3 |  FC Sion | 13 | 11 | 26 | |
4 |  FC St. Gallen | 13 | 2 | 22 | |
5 |  FC Zürich | 13 | -1 | 21 | |
6 |  Servette FC | 13 | 1 | 17 | |
7 |  FC Basel | 13 | -4 | 15 | |
8 |  FC Thun | 13 | -10 | 14 | |
9 |  FC Luzern | 13 | -7 | 13 | |
10 |  Grasshopper Club Zürich | 13 | -13 | 11 | |
11 |  FC Vaduz | 13 | -5 | 10 | |
12 |  FC Lausanne-Sport | 13 | -11 | 7 |