The Sun puts Balo on Telli

IT'S A LONG WAY TO PICCADILLY ... our tribute

MADCAP Mario Balotelli got a spectacular farewell yesterday — thanks to The Sun.

We put up a farewell poster on a giant electronic screen at Manchester’s Piccadilly train station at rush hour following the City striker’s £19.5million move to AC Milan.

And as he said goodbye to the Etihad, he sent a message of ‘love’ to his old boss Roberto Mancini.

It was Mancini, who managed him at Inter Milan and brought him to City for £22m in 2010, who was most upset at his departure.

Balotelli, 22, had a long chat with Mancini in the club’s London hotel before they played QPR on Tuesday night.

He revealed: “It was a very emotional day for me. I spoke with Roberto before I went to speak to the players.

“He was sad, I was too. I love Roberto, he has been very important for my career, I’ll always thank him for having trust and faith in me.”

Controversial Balotelli, who scored in a 10-0 friendly win for Milan yesterday, has graced our pages many times with his antics — so we decided to give him a big send-off.

Taking inspiration from the jibes of City fans when United’s Carlos Tevez switched from red to blue in 2009, our poster was designed to show Mario how much he meant to us.

City fan Mike Schofield said: “It really brings it home seeing that. I’m gutted he’s gone — he was such a great character.”