The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Balotelli

  • LFP sets date for Balotelli abuse verdict

    LFP sets date for Balotelli abuse verdict

     

     

    The French Football League (LFP) will announce in mid-February its ruling on whether Bastia are to be punished for some of their fans allegedly racially abusing Mario Balotelli.

    Balotelli has said he was the subject of racial insults during Nice’s 1-1 Ligue 1 draw at Bastia a week ago with some of the crowd in Corsica making monkey noises at the Italy international.

    The LFP promised action, and at its first meeting since the incidents the body’s Disciplinary Commission decided on Thursday to look deeper into the matter before delivering a verdict on Feb. 23.

    On Thursday, Bastia handed a stadium ban to a supporter after he made himself known.

     

    In another case, the Commission decided to close the East Stand of Bastia’s Stade Armand-Cesari for two games following the use of several flares during the club’s league game with Marseille on Dec. 21.

  • Balotelli’s return is no problem, says Chiellini

    Balotelli’s return is no problem, says Chiellini

    Mario Balotelli’s return to the Italy squad will not cause any problems, insists Giorgio Chiellini.

    The Liverpool forward was handed a call-up by Antonio Conte for Saturday’s Euro 2016 qualifier against Croatia and the friendly versus Albania next Tuesday.

    It is the first time the 24-year-old has been on international duty since the World Cup, when Cesare Prandelli’s side were dumped out at the group stage and Balotelli’s displays came in for particular criticism.

    His form in the Premier League has drawn further negative coverage, but Chiellini foresees no issues surrounding Balotelli’s return to the fold.

    “There was nothing to fix [with Balotelli],” the Juventus defender said. “We decided to make a point only about the World Cup. We know it went badly.

    “It’s a new campaign, and you have to forget about the past, while remembering the desire to make up for what happened in this period.

    “There was no confrontation, there was no need for one. The coach makes the decisions, we’re a united group, who are focused on winning.”

    Chiellini questioned the value of placing Balotelli under the continued glare of the media spotlight, adding: “I understand that for you [the media] it’s important to know how many times [Balotelli] sneezed or went to the bathroom, but for us we only think about the team and about winning.

  • Balotelli omission not´a message´—Conte

    Italy coach Antonio Conte insists he was not trying to send a message to Mario Balotelli by omitting the striker from his first squad.

    The Liverpool new boy was the most notable absentee from Conte’s selection for forthcoming fixtures against the Netherlands and Norway.

    But Conte says he had no motive to leave Balotelli out of his plans, stressing players must earn the right to represent Italy.

    “We have been monitoring every match,” he said. “The call-ups are based on those we observed, with those we had footballing evidence on.

    “Is it a message? I do not have to send any messages. Those who know me know how I work – I do not present gifts to anyone.

    “Today I have here 26 guys and I have told them that they must earn this shirt. I will behave as I have always done, there is no pre-condition for anyone.

    “Those who are in the national team should know what it takes to be here and be conscious of the weight of this shirt, its importance.”

    Conte, who took over from Cesare Prandelli following the World Cup, also expressed his pride at leading his first training session on Monday.

    “This is definitely a special day,” he added. “I entered Coverciano [Italy’s national training centre] for the first time with the Under-15s side and to come back now as a coach is beautiful.

    “This is a centre that makes me shudder, it takes me back 30 years. It is something nice.

    “It is a formative experience, a competition with myself and I am sure that I will be able to communicate my concepts.”

  • Milan: no Liverpool offer for Balotelli

    Milan: no Liverpool offer for Balotelli

    Milan have received no offers from Liverpool for Mario Balotelli, although chief executive Adriano Galliani refused to rule out a move.

    There has been widespread speculation in recent weeks over a possible return to the Premier League for the 24-year-old.

    Liverpool, who lost star man Luis Suarez to Barcelona last month, have been heavily linked with a move for the forward.

    Galliani stated on Wednesday that no bid has been made, but stopped short of dismissing any talk of a potential switch in the near future.

    “At the moment there has been no offer from Liverpool from Balotelli, so there are no negotiations,” he told ANSA.

    “But the transfer market finishes on September 1, so we’ll see.”

    Balotelli won one league crown and an FA Cup during two-and-a-half seasons at Manchester City, setting up the dramatic last-gasp winner for Sergio Aguero in an enthralling finish to the Premier League title race in 2011-12.

    The Italy international returned to his homeland in January 2013 to join Milan, scoring 12 league goals in 13 appearances, before netting a further 14 in a side that struggled for large parts of last season.

  • Rodgers dismisses talk of Balotelli move

    l;iverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has dismissed talk that he is poised to make a move for Milan striker Mario Balotelli.

    Rodgers was full of praise for Italy international in the lead up to his side’s International Champions Cup meeting with Milan in Charlotte on Saturday, labelling the 23-year-old a “big talent”.

    Those comments resulted in speculation that the Northern Irishman could bring former Manchester City man Balotelli back to the Premier League as he looks to fill the void left by Luis Suarez, who signed for Barcelona last month.

    However, ahead of Liverpool’s International Champions Cup final against arch-rivals Manchester United in Miami on Monday, Rodgers has poured cold water over such reports.

    “I was asked the question about Balotelli last week and spoke about what a talent he is,” he explained on Sunday.

    “But I can categorically tell you that he will not be coming to Liverpool.

    “He is a wonderful player, but he is an AC Milan player.

    “I just gave my opinion on him – but [that] doesn’t mean I’ll be signing him.”

  • Balotelli does not live in reality, says Prandelli

    The former Italy boss claims the striker must learn from his past experiences and feels Serie A sides are getting their priorities wrong

    Former Italy coach Cesare Prandelli believes AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli lives in his own world “far away from reality” – though he insists he is not a bad person.

    Balotelli netted the winner in Italy’s 2-1 World Cup win over England, but failed to make an impact in the defeats against Costa Rica and Uruguay and was heavily criticised for those performances as the Azzurri crashed out of the group stage.

    “Balotelli is a good guy, really. He is not a bad person,” Prandelli told Corriere della Sera.

    “But he lives in a dimension that is far away from reality.

    “That doesn’t say anything, though. He is only 24 years old and has the possibility to build on this experience.”

    Prandelli then went on to stress that Italy’s biggest problem is that clubs care about their own interests more than those of the national team, whereas world champions Germany benefit from an entirely different mindset.

  • ‘Balotelli must grow up if I get Italy job’ —Mancini

    ‘Balotelli must grow up if I get Italy job’ —Mancini

    Roberto Mancini says he “loves” Mario Balotelli but admitted he must “grow up” after revealing his desire to become Italy boss.

    Mancini left his post at Galatasaray at the end of the season, after guiding the club to a second-place finish in his sole campaign at the helm of the Super Lig outfit.

    Despite signing a two-year contract extension ahead of the World Cup, Italy’s first-round exit prompted Cesare Prandelli to depart as national team boss, and he has since taken up the role vacated by Mancini in Istanbul.

    That move has paved the way for Mancini to take over as Italy head coach, and the former Manchester City and Inter boss would be humbled to be offered the job.

    “Italy would be an honour for me,” he told Corriere dello Sport. “No one called me but I would be proud.[The] FIGC [Italian Football Association] need serious and competent men.”

    He added: “The national team were too old? The age does not matter.

    “I love [Mario] Balotelli, but he must grow up. With [Marco] Verratti and [Ciro] Immobile, the team can be reconstructed.”

    Mancini worked with Balotelli during spells as Inter and Manchester City boss, but on both occasions the pair became embroiled in heated disputes over the striker’s disciplinary issues.

  • Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea race for unsettled Balotelli

    Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea race for unsettled Balotelli

    LIVERPOOL, Arsenal and Chelsea are monitoring Mario Balotelli’s situation at AC Milan after the striker indicated he could be ready for a move back to England.

    Reports suggest that Balotelli has grown tired of the racist treatment he receives in his homeland and is now open to a return to the Premier League.

    Additionally, the combustible Balotelli has tested Milan’s patience this season with occasional petulant outbursts that have grated with the club’s hierarchy.

    But while all three clubs are interested in signing Balotelli if he becomes available, none of them see him as their first choice.

    It is thought that Arsenal consider Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema their priority and are already in talks with the Spanish club over a move.

    However, with Real on a high after claiming their tenth Champions League title over the weekend, the Gunners are wary that they may not be able to prise Benzema away.

    In that event it is believed that Arsene Wenger would pursue talks with Balotelli’s representatives.

    Similarly, Liverpool see Balotelli as the ideal man to replace Luis Suarez should he be tempted away after the World Cup.

    The Anfield club are confident it won’t come to that after Suarez’s recent positive comments about staying in England, but are preparing for the worst-case scenario in any event.

    Chelsea could similarly enter the race if they miss out on their top striking targets this summer, with Jose Mourinho familiar with the enigmatic player from his time in charge at Inter Milan.

  • De Laurentiis: Balotelli has ego problems

    Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis appears to have ruled out a move for Mario Balotelli, suggesting the striker has issues with his ego.

    Italy international Balotelli has been linked with a move Stadio San Paolo after Milan managing director Barbara Berlusconi suggested the former Manchester City man was not “irreplaceable”.

    When asked about the possibility of Balotelli moving to Naples, De Laurentiis stated that he would be reluctant to sanction a move for the 23-year-old front-man.

    “Balotelli in blue? He would have problems in any team,” De Laurentiis told reporters.

    “He needs to resolve problems with his ego.”

    The Napoli supremo also gave his backing to coach Rafael Benitez amid reports that the Spaniard is set to sign a new deal.

    He said: “Benitez has done very well in his first year at Napoli. Next year will be a very competitive league.

    “The two Milan teams will be back and Fiorentina will be stronger.”

    Napoli finished third in Serie A in their first season under Benitez.

     

  • Prandelli: Balotelli will destroy Eagles

    Prandelli: Balotelli will destroy Eagles

    Italy coach Cesare Prandelli is ready to unleash AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli on the Super Eagles of Nigeria when the two sides meet in today’s international friendly at London’s Craven Cottage.

    Prandelli also demanded “more enthusiasm” around the Azzurri when they play the coach Stephen Keshi-led side in the game slated at 19.45 GMT (8:45pm) Nigerian time.

    Nigeria booked their place in the World Cup in Brazil next summer after a play-off victory over Ethiopia on Saturday.

    Leading 2-1 from the first-leg, Nigeria won the home leg 2-0 to ensure that the reigning Africa Cup of Nations champions will be at the World Cup.

    Italy also played a 1-1 draw with Germany in an international friendly match on Friday.

    “I have some pretty clear ideas on the systems, even if we have to establish which is the best one,” said the Coach in his Press conference.

    “Balotelli is the first choice centre-forward, but now we have to find out who is the ideal second striker.”

    Fiorentina hitman and current Serie A top scorer Giuseppe Rossi missed the game with Germany due to tonsillitis, but is now fit to start.

    “Rossi is ready and for the line-up. Balotelli, Riccardo Montolivo and Daniele De Rossi need to be evaluated.

    “I perform many experiments because I haven’t got much time. I’m not saying it’s a problem that we don’t have training camps, but it is a fact.

    “If I’d had more time then I wouldn’t have needed to call so many players and we wouldn’t have run into some embarrassing results. It’s not club Coaches who are the problem, but the fixture list and the directors.

    “The truth is that right now everyone is thinking about Serie A or the Champions League, but come June they will all be huge Italy fans. I’d like a little more enthusiasm around us now.”