MILAN: Liverpool misfit Mario Balotelli said he is ready to resurrect his career as he re-joined AC Milan on a season-long loan deal that has divided fans and pundits in Italy.
Balotelli joined Liverpool from Milan in the summer of 2014 but after a dismal season at Anfield the controversial Italian striker has rejoined the seven-time European champions on a season-long loan deal.
Milan have made the deal official on their website and after emerging from a medical early on Tuesday morning Balotelli told reporters: “I’m happy to be back. This club is in my heart and I always hoped to play here again.
“Physically, I’m in good condition, I just have to get training with the squad.”
Asked about his motivation, he said: “I’ve got plenty, but now is not the time to talk, it’s time to get to work.”
As for the future, he added: “I have to start work from today and to have a good season. Then we’ll see what happens.”
Balotelli’s failure to spark at Liverpool has also left his international career in tatters. He has yet to feature in any games for the Azzurri during qualifying for the 2016 European Championships in France next summer.
Yet it remains to be seen if the 25-year-old, who has often been accused of wasting his playing talent, can resurrect his career this season.
Balotelli, who began his career with city rivals Inter Milan before moving to Manchester City in 2010, was feted by the vast majority of Milan fans when he joined the Rossoneri in January 2013.
But the striker’s second spell at Milan is not being met with the same fervor — among fans, or in the media.
Recent polls have shown an overwhelming majority of fans to be against Balotelli’s return to the club. On Monday night a survey on the popular ‘Processo del Lunedi’ football show on Rai television indicated that close to 62% of fans were against Balotelli’s return.
Former Milan midfielder Zvonimir Boban, a respected pundit on Sky Sport who is often brutally honest in his opinions on football matters, called the club’s decision to take the player on loan “totally absurd.”
Boban had previously stated: “Let’s stop talking about him, he’s never achieved anything.”
Last week, the former Croatian international hit out: “I wish him all the best, but he’s never really taken off as a player. If he returns (to Milan), it is totally absurd.”
Milan, along with city rivals Inter, failed to qualify for Europe this season and both clubs face a make-or-break season after several years of underachievement.
Sinisa Mihajlovic has taken over the reins at Milan following the sacking of coach Filippo Inzaghi and he is expected to whip the Rossoneri into shape this season.
Milan began the Serie A campaign with a 2-0 defeat at Fiorentina on Sunday when Rodrigo Ely was sent off in the first half and fellow central defender Alessio Romagnoli gave away a penalty to La Viola in the second half.
Milan’s opening game of the season is against Empoli on Saturday.
Milan confirms return of Reds misfit Balotelli
Milan confirms return of Reds misfit Balotelli
Saudi football authorities deny that Saudi national team manager Herve Renard has been sacked
- It comes after Al Riyadh newspaper, citing “special sources,” claims the Saudi Arabian Football Federation was considering replacing him
- @SaudiNews50 posts message on X, citing SAFF, saying the report is false; Al Riyadh later confirms it has received a written denial from the federation
RIYADH: The Saudi Arabian Football Federation moved quickly on Wednesday night to deny rumors that national football team coach Herve Renard was to be fired.
Speculation about the Frenchman’s future in the job earlier began to mount after Al Riyadh newspaper posted a story on social media platform X claiming Renard would be replaced, after Saudi Arabia failed to reach the final of the FIFA Arab Cup.
Citing “special sources,” the Arabic-language newspaper reported that the federation’s board was considering relieving Renard of his duties, and that a search for the 57-year-old’s replacement would start before preparations begin for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The new manager might be someone working in the Saudi Professional League, the newspaper said, and would be an individual whose standards and objectives match the ambitions of football officials and fans in the Kingdom, and are aligned with the reputation and development of Saudi football.
Shortly after the report appeared, the account @SaudiNews50, which has 21.6 million followers on social media platform X, posted a message, citing SAFF, that said: “Reports of Renard’s dismissal from coaching the Saudi national team are false.”
A little less than two hours after its initial report, Al Riyadh published an update confirming that the federation had sent the newspaper a written denial of the claim that Renard’s job was on the line, and confirming that he would be in charge of the team on Thursday for the Arab Cup third-place play-off against the UAE at Khalifa International Stadium in Qatar.
Renard’s contract runs until the 2027 AFC Asian Cup. After the 1-0 defeat by Jordan in Monday’s Arab Cup semifinal at Al-Bayt Stadium, Renard was asked about the possibility he might be sacked and replied: “I have a contract and I will continue my work. I can’t do something if someone else wants to do something else. I’m staying, but if someone tells me my job is finished I’ll go somewhere else. That’s football.”
He said later that the team had “prepared superbly” for the game against Jordan, adding: “The match statistics were clear, as we had 69 percent possession compared to our opponents, who had 31 percent.
“We knew Jordan’s strategy and playing style. We weren’t successful defensively and in creating chances, so we couldn’t maintain the 0-0 draw and we couldn’t score.”
