AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli has grown up during his time in England, according to his Ghanaian team-mate Sulley Muntari.
The former Manchester City striker, whose biological parents are from Ghana, appeared to put his finger to his lips to silence Inter fans who waived inflatable bananas during the Milan derby.
And reports in Italy yesterday claimed Balotelli made an obscene gesture towards them at the end of the match.
But ex-Pompey midfielder Muntari, who played with the 22-year-old Balotelli at Inter Milan, said: “Balotelli has changed a lot over these years.
“He’s more mature and you could see that on Sunday despite the pressure he was under and the difficulty of the moment. It’s just a shame he didn’t score.â€
Balotelli’s agent Mino Raiola said: “I know nothing about this (an obscene gesture). He had a fever of 38 degrees but he behaved well.â€
The Serie A disciplinary committee will meet to discuss events at the San Siro today.