Liverpool's Mario Balotelli Most Abused Premier League Player On Social Media

Anti-discrimination body "Kick It Out" said that almost 40,000 abusive messages aimed at Premier League players -- many of them racist -- "have been posted online this season," according to Steve Tongue of REUTERS. Liverpool's Italian forward Mario Balotelli "was the most abused player with some 8,000 posts, of which more than half were racist in nature." His teammate Daniel Sturridge and Arsenal's Danny Welbeck "were also regular victims." Liverpool Manager Brendan Rodgers said, "I was shocked when I saw that." More than 95,000 other messages were directed at clubs, "with Chelsea and Liverpool featuring most frequently" (REUTERS, 4/17).