Manchester City install dressing room safes in a bid to stop pranks

MANCHESTER City stars have been given safes for their phones on matchdays after sent-off players “­fraped” team-mates’ Facebook and Twitter pages.

SECURE: The new safes in the dressing room

Ex-City prankster Mario ­Balotelli, 23, was the first to pull the stunt when he saw red during his time at the club.

Other players followed by rummaging through bags and updating ­statuses via players’ mobiles, insiders at the Premier League Champions told the Daily Star Sunday.

Now boss Manuel ­Pellegrini, 60, has put an end to the antics by having small lockers installed for phones, keys and valuables.

And he has told City aces to lock their stuff away before ­matches at the Etihad ­Stadium, amid concerns they will get distracted ­before games. A source said: “It ­started off a while back when Mario was here.

"He got sent off in a game and went back to the changing room, as you do when you get a red.

"He thought it would be funny to take out the lads’ mobiles and start updating statuses on Facebook and Twitter.

"They weren’t offensive comments but did make some of them look ­stupid.”

Our insider said the players tried to get their own back on Balotelli.

The source added: “I won’t name names but a few people were at it. Now the manager has come in and said enough is enough.”

Our leaked picture shows lockers just above the ­hung-up shirts of City stars Yaya Touré, 31, and Samir ­Nasri, 27.