Mario Balotelli sets house on fire with fireworks. Seriously.

Welcome to the mental world of Mario Balotelli. Episode 56 – setting your own house on fire with fireworks.

Prior to what is probably the biggest game of his career since arriving at Manchester City, lunatic Italian striker Mario Balotelli ensured he will be the centre of attention by setting his own house on fire after he and some friends began throwing fireworks out the window of his house.

Anyone with even a vague idea of Balotelli’s coloured past would think that he is hardly capable of exceeding the numerous acts of idiocy that have littered his career to date, but then he went and proved everybody wrong with this latest incident, from which, mercifully, nobody emerged injured.

Balotelli reported for training today having checked in at a hotel in the early hours of Saturday morning following the blaze which erupted at his home in Cheshire. The stone mental but talented forward told club officials that the fire started when bathroom towels caught fire after Balotelli and four friends had been shooting fireworks from an open window.

Probably thinking that it might get him off the hook, Balotelli told City officials that it was a friend who had set off the firework, but the club are bound to soon run out of patience with a man whose rap list includes firing darts at City youth players, being caught on the grounds of a women’s prison for no apparent reason and playing with his iPad while sitting on the bench for his national side.

Fire crews were called just before 1am on Saturday to put out what has been described as "a substantial fire" on the first floor of the property.

The house sustained serious fire and smoke damage and police were also brought in to ensure that Balotelli did not go back into the house – apparently at one point, he tried to run back inside to recover a quantity of money and a suitcase.

Commenting on the incident, a police spokesperson said: "At just before 1am on Saturday we were called to a report of a house fire at a residential home in Mottram St Andrew.

"Police provided assistance to Cheshire fire and rescue service as well as ensuring residents were accounted for and there was no danger to surrounding properties. At this time, the cause of the fire is being examined by fire investigators and the police. However, it is not thought to be suspicious."

Mario Balotelli, the twisted firestarter – who’d have thunk it? Honestly, you couldn’t make this sh*t up.