OMNISPORT 

Mino Raiola thinks he has found the ideal solution after Mario Balotelli's latest red card – cutting out the troublesome striker's tongue.

Balotelli received his third red card of the season during Nice's 1-0 victory at Lorient last Saturday for showing dissent to referee Tony Chapron.

Chapron later revealed he had dismissed the striker because he had insulted him in English, saying the phrase was "something classical".

The incident came at a bad time for Balotelli after he was recently criticised by some of his own team-mates for a perceived lack of effort, with Raiola joking he was ready to take drastic action to prevent another negative incident.

"I have already found the solution - we are going to cut his tongue out," Raiola, Balotelli's agent, said to RMC.

"To play football, you don't need a tongue, so we are going to cut it out.

"Seriously though, he knows he made a big mistake - he has no excuses and it is something he knows he has to improve. 

"He is sad for himself and the team."

Balotelli is now banned for Friday's home Ligue 1 game against Montpellier, a fixture that could see third-placed Nice move above champions Paris Saint-Germain and go level on points with leaders Monaco if they are victorious.

Raiola would not reveal whether the recent decline in the 26-year-old's fortunes has affected the likelihood of the striker staying with Nice permanently.

"It is still too early to talk about that," he said. "The most important thing is to have three positive months for him, the team and the people of Nice.

"After that, we will have a lot of time to talk about his future."

Balotelli signed a one-year deal with Nice last August.