Balotelli deserved a slap, Melo 'a rotten apple': Chiellini
4 years, 8 months ago

Balotelli deserved a slap, Melo 'a rotten apple': Chiellini

The Hindu  

Juventus captain Giorgio Chiellini has launched a blistering takedown of former Italy team-mate Mario Balotelli, accusing him of being "a negative person". In a new autobiography, Chiellini snaps at his former colleague, writing: "Balotelli is a negative person, without respect for the squad. During the tournament in question, Balotelli scored twice, including a penalty, in the group stage, before a thigh injury ruled him out of the semi-final against Spain, who beat Italy on penalties. READ: Chiellini, 35, was more brutal when it came to assessing former Juve colleague Felipe Melo, the Brazilian midfielder who played for the Bianconeri from 2009 to 2011.

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History of this topic

Balotelli overlooked as Mancini goes with Joao Pedro in Italy playoff squad
2 years, 9 months ago

Balotelli overlooked as Mancini goes with Joao Pedro in Italy playoff squad

The Hindu  

Mario Balotelli was overlooked by Italy coach Roberto Mancini for the upcoming World Cup playoffs, with 30-year-old Cagliari striker Joao Pedro given his first call-up to the squad instead. RELATED| Widespread reports suggested Mancini, who worked with Balotelli at Inter Milan and Manchester City, would bring the 31-year-old back in for next Thursday's semifinal against North Macedonia, but Brazilian-born Joao …

Mario Balotelli named in Italy squad for first time since 2018
2 years, 11 months ago

Mario Balotelli named in Italy squad for first time since 2018

Hindustan Times  

Mario Balotelli was named in the Italy squad for the first time since 2018 on Monday, as the Adana Demirspor striker joined seven uncapped players in Roberto Mancini's 35-man training camp selection. Mario Balotelli was named in the Italy squad for the first time since 2018 Balotelli, who worked under Azzurri coach Mancini earlier in his career at Inter Milan …

Mario Balotelli is training with a semi-pro team in Italy's FOURTH division after leaving Brescia
4 years, 2 months ago

Mario Balotelli is training with a semi-pro team in Italy's FOURTH division after leaving Brescia

Daily Mail  

Former Liverpool and Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli is training with a semi-professional team in the FOURTH tier of Italian football after being released by Brescia at the end of last season. Now 30, Balotelli is a free agent and looking for a new club, and to keep his fitness levels up has been spending time at Franciacorta, a team …

Balotelli reportedly fired by Brescia -- his hometown club
4 years, 7 months ago

Balotelli reportedly fired by Brescia -- his hometown club

Associated Press  

ROME — A frequent target of racist abuse and often surrounded in controversy, Mario Balotelli’s nomadic career has taken another radical turn. Local media reported over the weekend that Brescia owner Massimo Cellino had his legal team deliver a dismissal letter to Balotelli to terminate the player’s multi-year contract “for just cause.” “I thought as the captain of his home …

Balotelli denies missing training: Didn't think I was invisible
4 years, 7 months ago

Balotelli denies missing training: Didn't think I was invisible

The Hindu  

Mario Balotelli has responded to reports he failed to attend training on Sunday, insisting he is not "invisible to the cameras" that were present at the session. Balotelli has endured a difficult season with hometown club Brescia, the 29-year-old managing just five goals in 19 Serie A appearances this term. Brescia president Massimo Cellino said on Thursday that he expects …

Massimo Cellino admits 'mistake' in bringing Mario Balotelli to Brescia
4 years, 7 months ago

Massimo Cellino admits 'mistake' in bringing Mario Balotelli to Brescia

Daily Mail  

Brescia owner Massimo Cellino conceded he made a 'mistake' in bringing Mario Balotelli to his hometown club, with the former Manchester City striker set to leave at the end of the season. Brescia owner Massimo Cellino admits he and Mario Balotelli made a 'mistake' in him joining Cellino say the club are 'disappointed' with Balotelli, who has scored five goals …

Serie A: Cellino expects Mario Balotelli to leave Brescia
4 years, 7 months ago

Serie A: Cellino expects Mario Balotelli to leave Brescia

The Hindu  

Brescia president Massimo Cellino expects Mario Balotelli to leave the club at the end of the season as the striker "no longer has his head with us." Balotelli signed a three-year deal with hometown side Brescia last year but his time with the Serie A struggler has been plagued by numerous off-field issues. The Italy international was involved in a …

Mario Balotelli and Felipe Melo hit back at Juve's Chiellini
4 years, 8 months ago

Mario Balotelli and Felipe Melo hit back at Juve's Chiellini

The Hindu  

Mario Balotelli and Felipe Melo fired back at stinging criticism from Juventus and Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini. Chiellini was scathing of his former team-mates – the Juve captain accusing Balotelli of being "a negative person," while adding the Italian forward deserved a slap during the 2013 Confederations Cup. Brescia star Balotelli hit back at the comments made in Chiellini's new …

Serie A: Mario Balotelli talks up potential Napoli move
4 years, 8 months ago

Serie A: Mario Balotelli talks up potential Napoli move

The Hindu  

Brescia forward Mario Balotelli revealed he would love to play for Serie A side Napoli. The former AC Milan, Inter and Liverpool forward said he tried to join Napoli and suggested he would still like a move to the Stadio San Paolo. READ | "I tried it," Balotelli told Fabio Cannavaro during an Instagram Live chat on Monday. A 36-time …

Captain to chief negotiator: Giorgio Chiellini works out salary cuts
4 years, 9 months ago

Captain to chief negotiator: Giorgio Chiellini works out salary cuts

Deccan Chronicle  

Rome: Best known for his aggressive defending on the soccer field, Giorgio Chiellini is proving to be an effective negotiator in the board room, too. The deal allows Juventus to avoid paying four months of wages, or a third of players' salaries, before closing its fiscal calendar year on June 30 -- a savings made even more crucial since Juventus …

Serie A: Mario Balotelli subjected to racist abuse again
5 years ago

Serie A: Mario Balotelli subjected to racist abuse again

The Hindu  

There was yet another incident of racism in Serie A on Sunday as Mario Balotelli was once again the target of racist chants in Brescia’s 2-1 defeat at home to Lazio. Brescia was leading 1-0 at the time following a goal scored by Balotelli, who had also been subjected to racial abuse earlier in the match. Balotelli posted a video …

Serie A: Mario Balotelli scores in Brescia win on Eugenio Corini's return as coach
5 years, 1 month ago

Serie A: Mario Balotelli scores in Brescia win on Eugenio Corini's return as coach

Firstpost  

Coach Corini, who lifted Brescia out of Serie B last season, was fired following a defeat at Verona but then rehired after his replacement Fabio Grosso lost all three games in charge, without his team scoring a goal, and was himself dismissed Milan: Forward Mario Balotelli gave struggling Brescia a 1-0 win at SPAL to lift them off the bottom …

Balotelli free to leave Brescia in January, says Cellino
5 years, 1 month ago

Balotelli free to leave Brescia in January, says Cellino

The Hindu  

Brescia will allow Mario Balotelli to leave the club for free in January, according to the Serie A club's president Massimo Cellino. Former Manchester City and Milan striker Balotelli signed for his hometown club Brescia – which sits bottom of Serie A – in August and has scored two goals in eight league appearances. RELATED| Serie A clubs write open …

Balotelli dropped by Brescia coach Grosso vs Roma
5 years, 1 month ago

Balotelli dropped by Brescia coach Grosso vs Roma

The Hindu  

Mario Balotelli has been left out of Brescia's squad for Sunday's Serie A meeting with Roma after the former Manchester City striker was involved in a training-ground argument with coach Fabio Grosso. Balotelli signed for his hometown club Brescia - which sits at the bottom of Serie A - in August and has scored two goals in seven league appearances …

Mancini won't recall Balotelli just to make anti-racism statement
5 years, 1 month ago

Mancini won't recall Balotelli just to make anti-racism statement

The Hindu  

Roberto Mancini will not recall Mario Balotelli to the Italy squad just to make an anti-racism statement but is adamant the Brescia striker is still young enough to make an impact for the Azzurri. Balotelli returned to the Italy fold in 2018 after a four-year absence but has been back in the international wilderness since a 1-1 draw with Poland …

Balotelli racism 'least of concerns,' says Italian politician
5 years, 2 months ago

Balotelli racism 'least of concerns,' says Italian politician

The Hindu  

Mario Balotelli has been criticised by Italian politician Matteo Salvini after the Brescia striker was racially abused in a Serie A match with Hellas Verona. Balotelli kicked the ball at the Verona ultras after receiving racial abuse from sections of the home support during Sunday's clash. The former Manchester City striker subsequently called out "a few idiots," while Verona responded …

Euro 2020 qualifiers: Brescia striker Mario Balotelli left out of Italy squad by manager Roberto Mancini
5 years, 2 months ago

Euro 2020 qualifiers: Brescia striker Mario Balotelli left out of Italy squad by manager Roberto Mancini

Firstpost  

Mario Balotelli was not included in Roberto Mancini’s squad on Friday for Italy’s final Euro 2020 qualifiers, despite the president of the country’s football federation calling for him to be selected Rome: Mario Balotelli was not included in Roberto Mancini’s squad on Friday for Italy’s final Euro 2020 qualifiers, despite the president of the country’s football federation calling for him …

Mario Balotelli: Brescia fans criticize player after he was racially abused
5 years, 2 months ago

Mario Balotelli: Brescia fans criticize player after he was racially abused

CNN  

CNN — Fans of Brescia have criticized Mario Balotelli after the Italian international was racially abused during last Sunday’s match against Hellas Verona. then banned 03:48 - Source: CNN READ: Balotelli suffers racist abuse as incidents continue in Serie A READ: Verona handed partial stadium ban over racist abuse towards Mario Balotelli Brescia is second from bottom in Serie A …

‘The problem is I’m Italian': Balotelli spurs racism debate
5 years, 2 months ago

‘The problem is I’m Italian': Balotelli spurs racism debate

Associated Press  

ROME — The ball that Mario Balotelli angrily kicked high into the stands out of frustration because of racist chants is still traveling. Luca Castellini, the leader of the Hellas Verona “ultra” fan section that directed the racist chants at Balotelli and a leader in the far-right party Forza Nuova in Verona, sees it in his own way. Verona responded …

Serie A: Mario Balotelli says 'problem is that I'm Italian' after discriminatory slurs spark debate over racism in country
5 years, 2 months ago

Serie A: Mario Balotelli says 'problem is that I'm Italian' after discriminatory slurs spark debate over racism in country

Firstpost  

There is a history of Balotelli being subjected to racist chants in Verona, stretching back to when he said ’the fans in Verona disgust me’ after a Chievo Verona vs Inter Milan match in 2010 when he played for Inter Rome: The ball that Mario Balotelli angrily kicked high into the stands out of frustration because of racist chants is …

Napoli boss Carlo Ancelotti lauds Mario Balotelli's response to racist abuse
5 years, 2 months ago

Napoli boss Carlo Ancelotti lauds Mario Balotelli's response to racist abuse

The Hindu  

Napoli head coach Carlo Ancelotti has praised Mario Balotelli's reaction to the racist abuse he received during Brescia's Serie A clash with Hellas Verona on Sunday. READ : Balotelli threatens to walk off after racist abuse by Hellas Verona fans Balotelli was persuaded to stay on and see out the game by team-mates and Verona players, before the former Manchester …

Mario Balotelli suffers racist abuse as incidents continue in Serie A
5 years, 2 months ago

Mario Balotelli suffers racist abuse as incidents continue in Serie A

CNN  

CNN — Brescia striker Mario Balotelli threatened to leave the pitch after he was racially abused by opposition Verona fans in the latest episode of racism to afflict Italy’s top football division. Italy’s news agency, ANSA, quoted one ‘ultra’ as saying Balotelli “is Italian because he has Italian citizenship but he will never be completely Italian.” Verona club president Setti …

Balotelli: I have zero fear of failing
5 years, 4 months ago

Balotelli: I have zero fear of failing

Associated Press  

After a nomadic career of controversy, Mario Balotelli has gone back home. Balotelli has signed a “multi-year contract” with newly promoted Brescia after his deal with Marseille expired, and will return to Serie A with his hometown club after an absence of three years. “My father was from Brescia, he supported the team, and it was his dream to see …

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