Scott Brown has recalled the moment Mario Balotelli threatened him during a Celtic clash with AC Milan in Italy.
Brown came up against Balotelli when Celtic faced Milan, with the Italian striker already known as one of the biggest characters in the game. Talented, unpredictable and never far from drama, Balotelli was the kind of opponent Brown was always likely to test.
Speaking to BBC Sport, Brown said: “Yeah, Mario Balotelli. We played Milan away, and I knew he was a good player. I knew he had a little switch that could trigger at any point.
“I remember thinking, ‘I’m going to have him.’”
That was classic Brown. He knew Balotelli had quality, but he also knew there was a chance to get under his skin. It did not take long for the two to clash.
Brown added: “There was a tackle about 20-25 minutes in, and I’ve munched him about 30 yards out, barely touched the ball. He stood over me and said, ‘You will not leave Italy unless it’s in a body bag.’
“I was like, ‘I’ve not had that said to me before.’”
He said: “‘Not sure if it’s true or not, but the mafia over here could probably do that, gonnae help us up, big man?’”
It is a brilliant story and another reminder of the edge Brown brought to Celtic in Europe. He was never interested in standing back and admiring big-name opponents. Whether it was Balotelli, Milan or anyone else, Brown’s approach was usually the same: make it awkward, make it physical and make sure they knew they were in a game.
For Celtic fans, it is also another glimpse into why Brown was such a central figure during that era. He had the bite, the humour and the nerve to handle moments that would have rattled plenty of others.
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