Mario Balotelli dive angers Ajax

Ajax players and offiicals were left fuming after conceding a controversial late penalty that cost them all three points in their Champions League encounter with Milan.

Leading 1-0 as the game entered stoppage time when Balotelli wrestled Ajax’s Mike van der Hoorn to the ground.

Only one person in the ground thought that Balotelli has been fouled by van der Hoorn, but unfortunately for Ajax, that person was the Swedish referee Jonas Eriksson.

“I felt pulled down by Balotelli and I think it’s clear that he has committed the foul and not me,” said Van der Hoorn.

“The whistle really made me angry. It has angered the whole team.”

His coach, Frank De Boer, was content with a point but unhappy with the way in which Milan had secured the point.

“What Balotelli did, was like a judo throw. I think it was an ippon,” De Boer stated afterwards. “Maybe the referee could have given a penalty to Milan earlier in the match, but this was certainly no penalty.”

“With Balotelli you know he can score from scratch and create theatre. That cost us two points.

“This point comes with a bitter taste. At the end of the day I can live with a point, but to concede with the penalty was disappointing. There are always moments of contact in the box. It’s about letting go at the right moment and Van Der Hoorn did that. It was ridiculous that penalty was awarded.”