Super Mario – Balotelli mobbed by AC Milan teammates after scoring his first goal in seven months

Mario Balotelli broke out of his seven-month scoring slump with a beautiful free kick and AC Milan held on for a 3-2 win over Udinese in Serie A on Tuesday.

Starting for the first time since rejoining Milan on loan after a dismal season at Liverpool, Balotelli curled the ball into the top corner after five minutes. The temperamental striker let out a rare celebratory smile as he was mobbed by his teammates.

Asked about the rare smile, since he usually shows no emotion after scoring, Balotelli said: “I’m always the same. In the changing room and in life I’m a completely different person from the one described for years [by others].

“Little by little I’m knocking the weight off my shoulders, because over the last few years between Italy and England too much has been said of me, but I’ve remained silent,” Balotelli added. “I’m behaving well in the changing room and I have good relationships with my teammates.”

Having scored only one goal in the Premier League last season, Balotelli is looking to revive his career and regain his place in Italy’s squad for next year’s European Championship.

“He showed that the real Balotelli is back and that he knows how to deal with being provoked,” new Milan coach Sinisa Mihajlovic said. “He was perfect. We all know about his skills and today he was the best player on the pitch — both for his play and for his behavior.”