Mario Balotelli reveals "fever"

Mario Balotelli has suggested that the fever he was suffering from prevented Manchester City from defeating Napoli yesterday evening.

As it was, Roberto Mancini's City lost 2-1 Naples to leave their qualification hopes in the Champions League hanging in the balance.

"If I had scored a couple more then it would have been better, but this is football," Balotelli told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"At the interval I went sick because I have been ill for two days. I have a fever, but Mancini knew this."

Last night Mancini tried to play down his striker's illness.