Welcome to Offbeat Wednesday, your weekly dose of football gossip! This week, get inside Mario Balotelli’s home in Manchester, watch the Ivory Coast squad poking fun at the ‘handsome’ Gervinho, congratulate the Piques on the birth of their baby son, Peter Crouch visits the dentist and Neymar poses with a bouquet of flowers!
Manchester City’s resident rebel and part-time striker Mario Balotelli has put his sprawling house in Cheshire up for rent at £13,495 per month.
As expected, there’s everything from a private pool to a master bedroom with an en suite dressing room, three other bedrooms, three more bathrooms and a leisure suite with a pool and gym. Fortunately, he didn’t let himself go with the firecrackers this time!
The property, located in Alderley Edge, also has a “mini cinema” which consists of a wall mounted with a huge television screen, very much like Cristiano Ronaldo’s property in Madrid. Any takers?
Naturally, news of Balotelli putting his home up for rent is likely to send the transfer mill into overdrive, as the 22-year-old been linked repeatedly to a move back to Inter Milan.
The controversial Italian has also reportedly flown his personal possessions back to Milan after a tumultuous season at the club. Either that – or he could just be looking at buying another, bigger, home in Manchester. There are eight days till the transfer window closes, so who knows?!
In the spirit of the African Nations Cup, here’s a video of the Ivory Coast ‘Bro Squad’, consisting of Didier Drogba, The Toure Brothers, Salomon Kalou and Gervinho. The players are asked a series of fun questions – including the quintessential one of the ‘Best Looker’ in the team (Answer : Gervinho/ Reaction from his teammates: Priceless), ‘Best Dancer’ and other gems. Check it out!
Gerard Pique and Shakira welcomed the birth of their first son – Milan Pique Mebarak (sounds like a legend, already!) – in Barcelona last night. Although the couple have yet to release photos of the baby, they assured the public that Milan was in good health and had been promptly registered with an FC Barcelona socio number. Mio dios…. it would’ve been unthinkable if the doctor who delivered Shak and Pique’s baby had been a Real Madrid supporter!
“We are happy to announce the birth of Milan Piqué Mebarak, son of Shakira Mebarak and Gerard Piqué, born January 22nd at 9:36pm, in Barcelona, Spain. The name Milan (pronounced MEE-lahn), means dear, loving and gracious in Slavic; in Ancient Roman, eager and laborious; and in Sanskrit, unification.
Just like his father, baby Milan became a member of FC Barcelona at birth. The hospital confirmed that the couple’s first child weighed approximately 6lbs. 6 ounces, and that both mother and child are in excellent health.” – Shakira’s official statement
The other English legend – and all-round joker – Peter Crouch – was spotted at the dentist with his wife, Abby Crouch, last week, presumably getting fillers for his missing teeth.
Crouch into a bit of a kerfuffle at Stoke’s 2-1 win over Newcastle at the Britannia last December and lost two of his teeth after a harsh challenge from Fabricio Coloccini.
In classic Crouch style, he told The Daily Mirror : ‘My teeth came out in my hand. Thankfully there was a dentist in the crowd, a season ticket holder who works for the club, who came down and acted very quickly. He saved them I’ve never had to a wear brace before, not even when I was a teenager. But all I need now is a few spots and I can go back to school! The gumshield has to go over the brace so I’m sure it will look very fetching!’
Last but not least, here’s a confused Neymar presenting a bouquet of flowers to all you ladies out there … awww! Owning up to his reputation of breaking hearts, the Brazilian striker posted the image above onto his Instagram and said : “I bought a bunch of flowers!” without going into further details.
In recent weeks, the Santos stud has also been linked to a 19-year-old model named Patricia Jordane, according to Brazilian gossip site, EgO. Then again, everybody wants to be linked to Neymar in Brazil!
Photos via : Ego, Neymar’s Instagram, Rightmove.co.uk, The Daily Mail & Shakira.com
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