Your trusted source

AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli has insisted he is happy to have put his time at Manchester City behind him, Sky Sports reported.

The Italian created numerous headlines during his tempestuous two-and-a-half years in England, but claims he was given a raw deal.

Balotelli, who returned to his homeland in January, says that his love of women and fast cars is just "normal."

He told CNN: "I'm really happy now. I have my family near me and my friends. I can relax and find my privacy, more than in England, where I was alone."

He added that many of the stories in the media bore little relation to the truth and he also defended his lifestyle.

Balotelli said: "Women I think is normal. Cars? I like fast cars and I don't see the problem if I like fast cars.

"Some things have happened in my life, some stuff unfortunately happens and they went in the newspapers straight away. But I don't see anything that would make people think that I'm bad or I'm crazy. I'm a normal guy.

"When you create an icon of a person in that kind of way, after everyone thinks you are like this and if you lie about it, everyone just thinks that it is all true. So maybe that's why they think I'm crazy and do crazy things.”