"I Feel Like Hanging Him by His Collar!" – Patrick Vieira on Balotelli

Patrick Vieira and Mario Balotelli are back together at Genoa after the French manager took charge of the struggling Serie A club.

Their reunion comes with a history. The two previously worked together at Nice, where their relationship was anything but smooth. Football Tweet revisited one of Vieira’s most striking comments about the Italian striker.

• Joke of the day. Balotelli's teammate came out to Mario wearing a T-shirt that read “Why always me?”

Quote: “Balotelli is not cut out for team sports; working with him is incredibly difficult. Sometimes I feel like responding in kind, throwing him against a wall, or just hanging him by his collar on a coat rack!” Vieira once said during their time at Nice.

Interestingly, Balotelli later admitted he would never have left Nice if it weren’t for Patrick Vieira.

Five years have passed since their tumultuous stint together, and now Vieira finds himself managing a team where Balotelli once again features.

Recall: After 12 matches in Serie A, Genoa sit precariously in 17th place with just 10 points, only one point clear of the relegation zone.