Nigel de Jong has said that his Manchester City teammate Mario Balotelli can sometimes act like a "fool".
The Italian striker has grabbed the headlines a number of times this season for his antics on and off the field.
De Jong believes that the 22-year-old "needs upheaval" in his life in order to perform at his best.
"Sometimes Mario is a fool and at other times he is a genius — there are two sides to him," the Dutch international midfielder told The Sun.
"Lots of people expect him to pull off crazy stunts and as a result he feels he must do something.
"People like that need to have upheaval in their lives in order to perform. He is happy in his personal relationship. That is important and it makes him more focused. But he knows that he has to become more serious-minded."
Balotelli scored in City's 3-3 draw with Sunderland last weekend.
Written by
Michael Penkman
Michael Penkman
