Mario Balotelli Becomes A Father For The First Time

Their relationship has been fairly tumultuous over the past nine months but bad boy footballer Mario Balotelli is said to be 'delighted' after becoming a father for the first time after his ex-girlfriend Raffaella Fico gave birth to a baby girl. Little Pia had been due on Christmas Day but was born just under three weeks early after Raffaella was rushed to hospital after having contractions while at home with he mum. Balotelli himself was not present at the birth but Raffaella's brother Francesco and her mum Pia were and the baby weighed in at a healthy 8lbs, 4oz (3.8kg) and was registered in her mother's name. There was no official comment from Balotelli following the 'nappy' news although sources close to the Manchester City star said he was 'delighted' with the birth which took place at the private Clinica Mediterranea in Naples. Ex underwear model Raffaella and Balotelli had split up in April following a furious doorstep bust up after she flew to Manchester from Italy to confront him over his cheating. Two months later she called him to say she was expecting his child and initially he refused to accept the baby was his and demanded a DNA test to prove he was the father. The couple then played out a furious slanging match via the Italian media over the summer with a shocked Raffaella expressing anger and surprise that he should question whether he was the father. Two months ago Balotelli then revealed he was going to 'try again' with Raffaella and he flew to her home near Naples where the two were pictured kissing passionately on the balcony of her home. However since then he has not been in touch with Raffaella and only this week she had issued an ultimatum to the player saying: 'If you love our child and me then marry me.' On Thursday a source at the clinic said: 'Pia was born on Wednesday night and both mother and baby are doing well.' Raffaella, who has dated Cristiano Ronaldo in the past and also appeared in Italy's version of I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here, is said to have sold exclusive first pictures of Pia to glossy Italian weekly Chi - the magazine that published photographs of a topless Duchess of Cambridge.