Mario Balotelli was dropped by OGC Nice as Coach Lucien Favre admits the striker doesn’t help out in defence. “What can I do?”
The Italy international had rediscovered his form in Ligue 1 with 11 goals in 18 competitive games for the club.
However, he was benched for Wednesday’s 1-0 win over Saint-Etienne, playing just eight minutes, and risks the sidelines again with Rennes this weekend.
“I don’t want to talk about Mario, because we’ve been discussing his work helping out in defence since the start of the season,” declared Favre in a Press conference.
“We take all the good things that Mario has given us so far, but what can I do? What is a Coach to do? I have to start the best possible line-up based on my ideas.
"Everyone knows this has been an issue hard-wired into his game for years and it will take him a while to adjust.
“I don’t want to hold a press conference just to talk about Balotelli.”
Mario has scored just one goal in the last five Ligue 1 appearances, was sent off in that period and had a one-match ban.
http://www.football-italia.net/98222/nice-frustrated-balotelliMario Balotelli “lets his head drop and looks like he wants nothing to do with us,” said Nice teammate Valentin Eysseric.
The Italian was on the bench for last week’s game and today left out officially due to flu symptoms in a 2-2 draw with Rennes.
Eysseric said on Saturday that Balotelli “should think a bit more about the collective and work a bit harder for us. It’s a shame he has this tendency to grumble when things don’t go his way and you see his head drop.”
Today the same player was asked about those comments.
“I’m sorry, but I was honest,” Esysseric told BeIn Sports. “I told the truth. It is a shame he lets his head drop, you see him in training every day. He’s such a great player.
“I think he looks like he wants nothing to do with us. It’s really disappointing. We could’ve really used his help in a game like this.
“We know the coach demands enormous effort from his squad. He won’t accept anyone taking their foot off the gas and you saw that with Mario Balotelli.”
http://www.football-italia.net/98289/balotelli-snubbing-nice