BAD BOYS, BANG FOR THE BUCK?
Adversaries, teammates, managers, referees. You name them, they’ve fought them. Their violent tendencies, however, haven’t in the least affected their market value.
ARIEL ORTEGA
July 1998: During a World Cup quarterfinal match, Argentina’s No 10 is shown a straight red card for headbutting Netherlands goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar (right)
July 1998: Sampdoria did not mind paying £2.29 million to buy El Burrito (The Donkey) from Valencia, whose then boss, Claudio Ranieri, felt Ortega was an idler who made no effort in training.
MARIO BALOTELLI
March 2010: During training in Milan ahead of a Champions League match against Chelsea, has an altercation with Jose Mourinho, his coach at Inter Milan, who drops him from the squad; is publicly criticised by senior teammates Javier Zanetti and Marco Materazzi.
August 2010: Despite all the controversies, Manchester City signs him on for €21.8 million
PAOLO DI CANIO
Sep 1998: While playing for Sheffield Wednesday, pushes referee Paul Alcock to the ground after being sent off against Arsenal; is banned for 11 matches and fined £10,000
Jan 1999: West Ham United buys Di Canio, who hasn’t played since the ban, for £1.5 million. West Ham manager, Harry Redknapp, says, “He can do things with the ball that people can only dream of.”
JOEY BARTON
May 2007: Assaults Manchester City teammate Ousmane Dabo during training, for which he is fined £100,000 and suspended until the end of the season by the club; a year later, is sentenced to a four-month suspended prison sentence and 200 hours of community service and fined £3,000.
June 2007: Joins Newcastle United for a fee of £5.8 million.
CARLOS TEVEZ
Sep 2011: Refuses to come on as a substitute for Manchester City against Bayern Munich, the start of a long standoff between him and coach Roberto Mancini that costs him several weeks’ wages and loyalty bonus.
June 2013: With one year left to go with City, signs three-year contract with Juventus for £10 million, plus £2 million in add-ons subject to performance.