By . Matt Lawton . PUBLISHED: . 16:30 EST, 26 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 05:22 EST, 27 June 2012 . Mario Balotelli has found himself at the centre of yet another race row after a leading Italian newspaper published a deeply offensive cartoon of him as King Kong. Gazzetta dello Sport likened the star striker to the mythical monster with an image of him swatting away footballs in the same way King Kong did aircrafts atop New York's Empire State Building. The Balotelli camp was understood to be outraged by the cartoon and Gazzetta have issued an apology. Unfunny: Mario Balotelli was personified as King Kong in the offensive Gazzetta cartoon . Force: Italian striker Mario Balotelli . controlling the ball against Ireland (left) and receiving a yellow card . against European and World Champions Spain (right) ‘It wasn’t our cartoonist’s best product. In these times we need a bit more moderation, caution and good taste. 'But we have always fought against racism and condemned booing against Balotelli as unacceptable,’ said the Milan-based newspaper. A spokesman for the anti-racism organisation Kick It Out said: ‘Mario is such an important person in Italian football. 'Aspiring players in Italy who want to follow in his footsteps could wonder what support they will have when they get to his level when they see cartoons like that. ‘It is not the first time we have seen this sort of depiction of Mario and we think the media have a responsibility. How do they think they can portray him like that?’ Journalists in Italy were horrified with . Luigi Garlando saying: ‘It's an unfortunate cartoon. It's hard to defend . the right of satire against censorship in this case. I would never . have allowed it.' Disgusting: An Italian councillor mocked up this picture of Mario Balotelli and posted it on his Facebook page . Anger: Paolo Ciani, 51, of the right wing Future and Liberty party, mocked up the photograph which showed Balotelli, 21, wearing his Italian shirt and bent over collecting cabbages in a field . Last week an Italian regional councillor sparked outrage after he posted on his Facebook page a picture of Balotelli working in fields as an immigrant worker. Paolo Ciani, 51, of the right wing Future and Liberty party, mocked up the photograph which showed Balotelli wearing his Italian shirt and bent over collecting cabbages in a field. The caption underneath referred to Balotelli's elbow against Ireland's Richard Dunne in his side's 2-0 win which went unseen by the match referee, the player's goal and then his foul mouthed outburst. Ciani wrote: 'He comes commits a foul worthy of a red card, scores then unleashes a verbal onslaught against the bench forcing them to shut him up. 'This clown should go and work in the fields.' In Italy it is not uncommon to see immigrants from Africa or South America working in fields collecting vegetables in searing heat. There have been numerous complaints over conditions they have to endure. Ciani's comments immediately provoked controversy with many accusing him of blatant racism. And it came after UEFA launched an investigation against Croatian fans after they threw bananas at Balotelli and aimed monkey chants at him. Time to focus: Balotelli and Italy will take on Germany in the Euro 2012 semi-final . Verbal: Italy's Mario Balotelli is hushed up by team-mates Thiago Motta, Leonardo Bonucci and Federico Balzaretti after he scored his goal against Ireland . Before the tournament started Manchester City striker Balotelli, who was born in Italy to Ghanaian immigrant parents, had vowed to walk off if he was racially abused. So far he has stayed on the pitch. Ciani, based in Trieste in north east Italy, an area well known for its nationalism, immediately hit back at claims he was being racist and at those who had attacked him via Facebook. He posted a picture of himself at a council meeting with a black resident adding: 'How can they accuse me of racism. I work with non European Union nationals. 'This is the best response to this presumed racism.' Married Ciani added: 'What I was doing was making a footballing comment, I was highlighting how Balotelli had committed a bad foul which could have got him sent off. Balotelli is now preparing for tomorrow's semi-final against Germany in Warsaw. Different approach: Mario Balotelli (left) relaxes as his teammates go through a punishing training session . On Tuesday UEFA also opened disciplinary proceedings against the Spanish football federation and the Russian football union for alleged racist behaviour and chanting by fans. European football’s governing body fined the Croatian football federation €30,000 after supporters threw fireworks and  displayed ‘inappropriate and racist banners’ during a match against Spain. It was Croatia’s second racism-related sanction of the tournament. In Krakow the focus for the Italians remained on trying to do to Germany what they did to England on Sunday night in Kiev. Andrea Pirlo, the architect of England’s destruction, appeared before the media and had few words of encouragement for Roy Hodgson’s beaten quarter-finalists. ‘Our approach to the game against Germany will be the same as against England,’ he said. ‘This is because it is the only way we can play. We have to take advantage of our quality, our technique. Charged: Meanwhile, UEFA have opened disciplinary proceedings against Spanish Russian FA's over the behaviour of their fans . 'But, unlike England,  Germany can create many threats to our defence. ‘England played a very prudent and careful way. They were sitting back all match, like Chelsea did in the Champions League final. They tried to keep that same shape. 'For them, going to the penalty shootout was already a good result.’  Pirlo said his stunning chip penalty was a key moment in the game because it was a huge psychological blow to England. ‘I didn’t celebrate the penalty because at that point there was nothing to celebrate,’ he said. ‘But it was really relevant to the match and our win. This changed the course of the match. 'For me, Joe Hart seemed to be very confident in himself and it seemed to be a psychological blow. I needed to do something to beat him. Penalties are a very personal thing. ‘When you have to shoot a penalty you have to be confident in yourself.’
Gazzetta dello Sport likened star striker to mythical monster in image .
Balotelli camp understood to be outraged and newspaper has said sorry .
By . Matt Lawton . PUBLISHED: . 16:30 EST, 26 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 05:22 EST, 27 June 2012 . Mario Balotelli has found himself at the centre of yet another race row after a leading Italian newspaper published a deeply offensive cartoon of him as King Kong. Gazzetta dello Sport likened the star striker to the mythical monster with an image of him swatting away footballs in the same way King Kong did aircrafts atop New York's Empire State Building. The Balotelli camp was understood to be outraged by the cartoon and Gazzetta have issued an apology. Unfunny: Mario Balotelli was personified as King Kong in the offensive Gazzetta cartoon . Force: Italian striker Mario Balotelli . controlling the ball against Ireland (left) and receiving a yellow card . against European and World Champions Spain (right) ‘It wasn’t our cartoonist’s best product. In these times we need a bit more moderation, caution and good taste. 'But we have always fought against racism and condemned booing against Balotelli as unacceptable,’ said the Milan-based newspaper. A spokesman for the anti-racism organisation Kick It Out said: ‘Mario is such an important person in Italian football. 'Aspiring players in Italy who want to follow in his footsteps could wonder what support they will have when they get to his level when they see cartoons like that. ‘It is not the first time we have seen this sort of depiction of Mario and we think the media have a responsibility. How do they think they can portray him like that?’ Journalists in Italy were horrified with . Luigi Garlando saying: ‘It's an unfortunate cartoon. It's hard to defend . the right of satire against censorship in this case. I would never . have allowed it.' Disgusting: An Italian councillor mocked up this picture of Mario Balotelli and posted it on his Facebook page . Anger: Paolo Ciani, 51, of the right wing Future and Liberty party, mocked up the photograph which showed Balotelli, 21, wearing his Italian shirt and bent over collecting cabbages in a field . Last week an Italian regional councillor sparked outrage after he posted on his Facebook page a picture of Balotelli working in fields as an immigrant worker. Paolo Ciani, 51, of the right wing Future and Liberty party, mocked up the photograph which showed Balotelli wearing his Italian shirt and bent over collecting cabbages in a field. The caption underneath referred to Balotelli's elbow against Ireland's Richard Dunne in his side's 2-0 win which went unseen by the match referee, the player's goal and then his foul mouthed outburst. Ciani wrote: 'He comes commits a foul worthy of a red card, scores then unleashes a verbal onslaught against the bench forcing them to shut him up. 'This clown should go and work in the fields.' In Italy it is not uncommon to see immigrants from Africa or South America working in fields collecting vegetables in searing heat. There have been numerous complaints over conditions they have to endure. Ciani's comments immediately provoked controversy with many accusing him of blatant racism. And it came after UEFA launched an investigation against Croatian fans after they threw bananas at Balotelli and aimed monkey chants at him. Time to focus: Balotelli and Italy will take on Germany in the Euro 2012 semi-final . Verbal: Italy's Mario Balotelli is hushed up by team-mates Thiago Motta, Leonardo Bonucci and Federico Balzaretti after he scored his goal against Ireland . Before the tournament started Manchester City striker Balotelli, who was born in Italy to Ghanaian immigrant parents, had vowed to walk off if he was racially abused. So far he has stayed on the pitch. Ciani, based in Trieste in north east Italy, an area well known for its nationalism, immediately hit back at claims he was being racist and at those who had attacked him via Facebook. He posted a picture of himself at a council meeting with a black resident adding: 'How can they accuse me of racism. I work with non European Union nationals. 'This is the best response to this presumed racism.' Married Ciani added: 'What I was doing was making a footballing comment, I was highlighting how Balotelli had committed a bad foul which could have got him sent off. Balotelli is now preparing for tomorrow's semi-final against Germany in Warsaw. Different approach: Mario Balotelli (left) relaxes as his teammates go through a punishing training session . On Tuesday UEFA also opened disciplinary proceedings against the Spanish football federation and the Russian football union for alleged racist behaviour and chanting by fans. European football’s governing body fined the Croatian football federation €30,000 after supporters threw fireworks and  displayed ‘inappropriate and racist banners’ during a match against Spain. It was Croatia’s second racism-related sanction of the tournament. In Krakow the focus for the Italians remained on trying to do to Germany what they did to England on Sunday night in Kiev. Andrea Pirlo, the architect of England’s destruction, appeared before the media and had few words of encouragement for Roy Hodgson’s beaten quarter-finalists. ‘Our approach to the game against Germany will be the same as against England,’ he said. ‘This is because it is the only way we can play. We have to take advantage of our quality, our technique. Charged: Meanwhile, UEFA have opened disciplinary proceedings against Spanish Russian FA's over the behaviour of their fans . 'But, unlike England, Germany can create many threats to our defence. ‘England played a very prudent and careful way. They were sitting back all match, like Chelsea did in the Champions League final. They tried to keep that same shape. 'For them, going to the penalty shootout was already a good result.’ Pirlo said his stunning chip penalty was a key moment in the game because it was a huge psychological blow to England. ‘I didn’t celebrate the penalty because at that point there was nothing to celebrate,’ he said. ‘But it was really relevant to the match and our win. This changed the course of the match. 'For me, Joe Hart seemed to be very confident in himself and it seemed to be a psychological blow. I needed to do something to beat him. Penalties are a very personal thing. ‘When you have to shoot a penalty you have to be confident in yourself.’
him as King Kong. Gazzetta dello Sport likened the star striker to the mythical monster with an understood to be outraged by the cartoon and