Former Liverpool and Manchester City striker, Mario Balotelli, found himself in a car accident in Orzinuovi, near his hometown of Brescia, Italy, leaving his Audi R8 severely damaged, reported by GOAL. The incident occurred just before 7:30 pm local time when Balotelli reportedly lost control of his vehicle, crashing into a wall.

Despite the impact causing the airbags to deploy and the car being described as “destroyed,” Balotelli managed to free himself from the wreckage and lie down before paramedics arrived. Fortunately, no other vehicles were involved in the collision. Initial reports suggest that the 33-year-old escaped the incident without major injuries, despite the severity of the car damage.

SportMediaset, via The Mirror, reported that Balotelli refused to take a breathalyzer test, defying police attempts. Currently residing in Turkey after signing with Adana Demirspor in September, Balotelli was granted permission by his team to recover from an injury in his native Italy.

The car crash incident coincides with Balotelli expressing his desire to rejoin the Italy squad, even though he earned his last cap five years ago. This announcement followed Italy's qualification for Euro 2024, secured with a 0-0 draw against Ukraine in their last group match.

As of now, neither Mario Balotelli nor his representatives have commented on the accident or provided details about any injuries sustained. Medical professionals at the scene, however, gave Balotelli the all-clear and allowed his brother to take him home after the incident. The former footballer's fans anxiously await updates on his well-being and any potential impact on his career.