Mario Balotelli. Love him or hate him, that is all you need
to say.
After news emerged that Man City were deciding to fine him
£340,000 (or two weeks wages) for his disciplinary record last season, the
rumour mill took full speed – again linking him with a move away from England
and most likely back to Italy and the Rossoneri of AC Milan. After missing 11
games out of 54 last year, it is clear that Balotelli cannot be depended on.
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| Why Always Him? Balotelli's famous goal celebration against Man Utd |
There’s no doubt about his talent. His composed finish (1 of
2 goals) against Manchester United in that 6-1 demolition at Old Trafford, as
well as his 2 goals in the European Championship’s semi final against Germany
in the summer shows he has the ability to be one of the best in the modern
game. However for every moment of class, there’s a moment (or more) of
controversy or downright petulance. Take the ‘Why Always Me?’ shirt after his
first goal at Old Trafford or that infamous fireworks incident the night
before. How about the attempted flick against LA Galaxy in pre-season? For the
latter you could argue from his body language that he thought he was offside –
but as they say, play to the whistle. There are no excuses for that from a
professional.
Time and time again Roberto Mancini has put his faith in
Balotelli, without reward. His reckless tackling (he got a red card later on
for a tackle on Sagna but deserved an earlier one for a horrific tackle on
Song) against Arsenal towards the tail end of last season could and looked to
have cost Manchester City the title. His lacklustre performance and look of
disinterest against Man Utd this season in the recent 3-2 defeat could
contribute towards City losing the title this year as well. After putting so
much faith into someone who is like a son to him, Mancini’s patience is running
out.
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| Balotelli celebrating his 2nd goal against Germany in the Euro 2012 semi finals |
After a 2nd consecutive Champions’ League group
stage exit, the Man City boss is not in a position to take risks – and Mario is
possibly the biggest of them all right now. Whilst he can undoubtedly perform
when his head it is in the right mindset, it is impossible to tell when this
will actually be. The consequences of making a wrong decision can be huge,
especially with the huge amount of attacking talent which Mancini’s side
possess. Balotelli offers nothing which Aguero, Tevez, Dzeko, Silva, Nasri and
Yaya Toure (if Mancini decides to go for one up top, as the more advanced
midfielders can play around the lone front man) do not. There is no real reason
for his inclusion in the squad, let alone the Starting 11.
Whether Mancini has finally had enough of him remains to be
seen – but his time in England looks to be drawing to a close with every
passing day.
