I will kill if racially abused at Euros: Balotelli

Italy: Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli has threatened to walk out of Euro 2012 should he be singled out for racist abuse and claims that he would "kill" someone if they threw a banana at him in the street.

The Italian has dealt with such abuse before in his career, with an incident in a Rome bar one case in which he admits that he almost lost control, but he has declared that, if it happened again, he would not be so tolerant.

Balotelli told France Football of the incident: "There were two or three boys, and it was lucky that the police arrived quickly because, I swear, I would have beaten them.

The Italy striker has also threatened to walk off the pitch if subjected to racial taunts.

"I would have really destroyed them. I hope it will not happen again because if someone throws a banana at me in the street, I will go to jail, because I will kill them."

The Italy international has also had to cope with abuse while on the pitch, with Juventus fans targeting him in 2009, and he has already decided that he will leave Euro 2012 if he has to put up with it this summer.

He continued: "Let's see what happens at the Euros. I hope it will pass without a problem. I really couldn't deal with that.

"I will not accept it at all. If it should happen again, I will leave the pitch immediately and I will go back home.

"It's 2012 and it is unacceptable. Sometimes when you are strong as a player, people have to find other ways to make you angry.

"They think the only way to hurt you is to provoke you."

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