'Affectionate' Mancini wants bad boy Balotelli to 'behave' himself for rest of season

London, Feb 16(ANI): Manchester City Roberto Mancini has told troublemaker Mario Balotelli to behave himself for the rest of the season.

Balotelli faces another test of his suspect temperament as Cuneyt Cakir takes charge of the clash with Porto

The Turkish referee is the same person who gave the Italian ace a red card against Dynamo Kiev in this competition in March last year.

Mancini has told Balotelli that he wants him for the final third of the season.

"I spoke to Mario two weeks ago. I said 'Please, we have 13 games to play in the Premier League plus Europa League matches'," Mancini was quoted, as saying by The Sun.

"I said to him 'Try to have good behavior on the pitch and think only about football.' Mario is an important player for us, he has good quality," he said.

He expressed hope that Balotelli will be fine for the coming two months.

"I think if his head will be OK in the next two months, he will be an important player for us," he added.

Balotelli, 21, has picked up 17 yellow cards in 49 games for City as well as three reds and the retrospective four-match ban for his stamp on Scott Parker. (ANI)