Mario Balotelli slams Liverpool over disastrous spell insisting he disliked life on Merseyside
Says Reds misfit: 'When I was 19 I'd go out once or twice a month yet I always ended up in the papers the next day'
MARIO BALOTELLI has aimed a fresh swipe at Liverpool - insisting he disliked life on Merseyside.
And the former Manchester City madcap. who has swapped Anfield for struggling Nice, said he relishes living on the French Riviera.
Italy international Balotelli, now a dad of two, also denied being a party animal earlier in his career.
The 27-year-old won the 2011-12 Premier League title and 2011 FA Cup with City before joining AC Milan in 2013.
Former Kop boss Brendan Rodgers paid £17million for him a year later, but the striker lasted just one season at Anfield before being loaned back to Milan.
Current Reds chief Jurgen Klopp let him join Nice on a free transfer last year. Balotelli has since signed a contract extension until next summer with the Ligue 1 club.
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The Eaglets finished third last season, currently lie 14th - just a point above the drop zone.
Balotelli, whose friend Mayowa Ogunbayo was found dead in his London flat this week, told Nice Matin:
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"When I spoke to the club president I could see in his eyes that he really wanted to sign me.
"And I looked round the town when I came over. I was going through a difficult situation at Liverpool, in a city that I did not like.
"I needed a change after two failed seasons split between Liverpool and AC Milan.
"Nice may not be Real Madrid, and I took a risk in joining them, but I have found the right environment for myself to succeed.
"I like the sunshine and the sea a lot, and I sometimes go for a stroll on the promenade in the evening.
"The French media is not as harsh as Italy's from the footballing point of view - or the English media when it comes to your private life.
"The stories about me going out all the time were untrue.
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"When I was 19 I'd go out once or twice a month - nothing unusual for my age - yet I always ended up in the papers the next day."
