Balotelli wants ‘to win as a protagonist’ at Milan
MILAN (AP) – Mario Balotelli revealed what many fans always suspected – that he always wanted to play for AC Milan – during a packed presentation with his new club Friday.
The Italy striker also listed all the “bad things” he won’t miss about England after leaving Manchester City: “the press, the weather, the food, the way I like to drive.”
New AC Milan player, Italian striker Mario Balotelli (L) poses with his AC Milan’s team jersey with AC Milan sporting director Adriano Galliani. AFP
Balotelli grew up as a fan of the Rossoneri, and he appeared delighted for most of the news conference at the San Siro, sitting alongside Milan vice president Adriano Galliani.
“It’s an honour for me to play for Milan. I’ve wanted to play for Milan for a long time,” Balotelli said, unable to recall exactly how long it had been since he last played in Italy with Milan’s city rival Inter in 2009-10, when his squad won a treble under Jose Mourinho. “Three or four years have passed, I don’t remember. I’m here at Milan to win as a protagonist. With Inter I won and got trophies but I played on and off.”
Wearing a suit and tie, and with his hair in his usual mohawk crest, Balotelli posed for pictures with his new No. 45 shirt.
Milan reached an agreement with City earlier this week and Balotelli signed a 4 1/2-year contract. He reportedly accepted a pay cut to join the club he supported as a child.
“Being back in Milan is important for me, especially because I’m near my family,” said Balotelli, who grew up near Brescia. “Manchester is not far but it’s not near like Milan. Playing for Milan has been my dream. I’m looking forward to playing, not talking.”
Milan agreed to pay City a (euro) 20 million ($27 million) transfer fee plus bonuses for the 22-year-old Balotelli.
When negotiations were still ongoing earlier this month, Milan president and former Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi reportedly called Balotelli a “rotten apple,” saying that “if you put a rotten apple in the changing room it can infect everyone.”
“I never heard that in England,” Balotelli said. “I heard it when my agent told me about it and the president had already apologised.”
Galliani then interrupted to declare that Berlusconi never said such a thing.
“We are honoured to have the national team’s centre forward,” Galliani said. “We’re bringing Balotelli back to the squad of his heart.”
Balotelli said he will miss the “good things” in Manchester such as “my teammates and my manager, but not the bad things – everything else: the press, the weather, the food, the way I like to drive.”
He refused to answer a question from one English journalist, saying that “Your newspaper always spoke bad about me when I was in England so I don’t want to speak with you.”
“I don’t have any regrets but I have to say thanks to all the City fans,” Balotelli added. “They always supported me, in the good and bad moments.”
Balotelli spent a turbulent 2 1/2 years in English football since joining City from Inter in 2010, and his form has dipped this season as matters off the pitch continued to overshadow his talent on it.
He was asked if he was man enough now to keep the focus on his football.
“I’m already a man. Certainly you can always improve,” Balotelli responded. “I want to stay here as long as possible.”
Balotelli was Italy’s standout player at the European Championship last year, memorably scoring both goals in the 2-1 win over Germany in the semifinals, but he hasn’t had a performance anything close to that lately.
“Mario is a great kid, he just needs to understand how lucky he is to know how to play football, because a footballer’s life passes in a hurry,” Roberto Mancini, Balotelli’s former manager at Inter and City, told Italian state radio earlier Friday. “Just think about (former Brazil and Inter striker) Adriano – he was the best player in the world, then in no time he disappeared.”
