EPL misfit Balotelli returns at Milan

AFP, MILAN: Some ‘tifosi’ might be licking their lips, but for some pundits AC Milan fans got the rawest deal on Tuesday when Mario Balotelli became the latest English Premier League (EPL) flop to return ‘home’ in a quest to resurrect his career. Of them all, Balotelli’s return to Milan on a one-year loan deal following a disastrous first season with Liverpool is by far the most controversial.
Loved and hated in equal measure, the 25-year-old continues to divide fans and mystify the pundits who believe there is still so much more to come from a player whose controversies far outweigh his true achievements in the game. “Let’s stop talking about him, he’s never achieved anything,” former AC Milan midfielder Zvonimir Boban, now a respected pundit for Sky Sport Italia, said last season. And not many Liverpool fans would disagree — after a season in which Balotelli failed to spark and, with memories still fresh after three notorious years at Manchester City, created headlines for all the wrong reasons.
He took 13 games to hit his first league goal for the Reds and Balotelli was then suspended for one game and fined £25,000 ($39,000) for posting an image on social media which appeared to contain anti-Semitic and racist references.
Now, Milan have taken a gamble that Balotelli will morph into ‘SuperMario’.
Like many of his international peers, Balotelli is keen to secure regular football ahead of next summer’s European Championships in France. Although he avoided that specific question Tuesday, he said: “I’m happy to be back. This club is in my heart and I always hoped to play here again.” Still, he must have got the chills when reading the reaction in Italy to his return. A poll on the popular ‘Processo del Lunedi’ sports programme on Rai television Monday showed 62 % of fans to be against his return. Last week, Boban called the intended move “absurd”.
Balotelli, signed by Liverpool for £16m ($25m) last summer, is not the only EPL casualty to find a degree of solace in Italy. Out-of-favour Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko, bought from Wolfsburg for £27m ($42m) in January 2011, has signed a one-year loan deal with Roma, where he joined up with Chelsea-owned Mohamed Salah following the Egyptian’s loan move to the capital club from Fiorentina. Dzeko, tied to City until 2018, was partly lured by Bosnian teammate Miralem Pjanic’s praise of Roma, and regular football.

EPL misfit Balotelli returns at Milan

AFP, MILAN: Some tifosi might be licking their lips, but for some pundits AC Milan fans got the rawest deal on Tuesday when Mario Balotelli became the latest English Premier League (EPL) flop to return home in a quest to resurrect his career. Of them all, Balotellis return to Milan on a one-year loan deal following a disastrous first season with Liverpool is by far the most controversial. Loved and hated in equal measure, the 25-year-old continues to divide fans and mystify the pundits who believe there is still so much more to come from a player whose controversies far outweigh his true achievements in the game. Lets stop talking about him, hes never achieved anything, former AC Milan midfielder Zvonimir Boban, now a respected pundit for Sky Sport Italia, said last season. And not many Liverpool fans would disagree after a season in which Balotelli failed to spark and, with memories still fresh after three notorious years at Manchester City, created headlines for all the wrong reasons. He took 13 games to hit his first league goal for the Reds and Balotelli was then suspended for one game and fined 25,000 ($39,000) for posting an image on social media which appeared to contain anti-Semitic and racist references. Now, Milan have taken a gamble that Balotelli will morph into SuperMario. Like many of his international peers, Balotelli is keen to secure regular football ahead of next summers European Championships in France. Although he avoided that specific question Tuesday, he said: Im happy to be back. This club is in my heart and I always hoped to play here again. Still, he must have got the chills when reading the reaction in Italy to his return. A poll on the popular Processo del Lunedi sports programme on Rai television Monday showed 62 % of fans to be against his return. Last week, Boban called the intended move absurd. Balotelli, signed by Liverpool for 16m ($25m) last summer, is not the only EPL casualty to find a degree of solace in Italy. Out-of-favour Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko, bought from Wolfsburg for 27m ($42m) in January 2011, has signed a one-year loan deal with Roma, where he joined up with Chelsea-owned Mohamed Salah following the Egyptians loan move to the capital club from Fiorentina. Dzeko, tied to City until 2018, was partly lured by Bosnian teammate Miralem Pjanics praise of Roma, and regular football.