ROME (AFP) - Bad-boy striker Mario Balotelli has brushed aside talk of a return to Italy despite rumours of a bust-up with Manchester City coach Roberto Mancini.
The 20-year-old Italian of Ghanaian origin had a mixed first season in England, suffering from injuries and disciplinary problems and reportedly getting into training ground scraps with team-mates.
He is also said to have argued on more than one occasion with Mancini, who was also his boss at Inter Milan until three years ago.
Having been called up to the Italy squad for next week's Euro 2012 qualifier against Estonia, Balotelli was back in Milan this week.
Asked if he would be returning to former club Inter or their cross town rivals AC Milan, he insisted he was happy in Manchester.
"Who knows, (Inter) are a great team that I admire, I miss my ex-team-mates but not Inter," he said.
"But I'm happy in England, if I come back to Italy it will be to go home.
"I don't dream about Milan, I'm happy in Manchester."
However, he did reveal that the English press was a major downside to working in England.
"I don't talk much, I let others speak. In England they invent many things to create some gossip," he said.
Balotelli denied he has problems with Mancini or that his reputation is justified.
"I get on with Mancini. I'm not going to reveal my aims but I would like to be considered a normal 20-year-old lad, a good footballer but not a Super-bad boy.
"It's easy to manage me, those who say differently haven't understood anything. I'm normal."
The 20-year-old Italian of Ghanaian origin had a mixed first season in England, suffering from injuries and disciplinary problems and reportedly getting into training ground scraps with team-mates.
He is also said to have argued on more than one occasion with Mancini, who was also his boss at Inter Milan until three years ago.
Having been called up to the Italy squad for next week's Euro 2012 qualifier against Estonia, Balotelli was back in Milan this week.
Asked if he would be returning to former club Inter or their cross town rivals AC Milan, he insisted he was happy in Manchester.
"Who knows, (Inter) are a great team that I admire, I miss my ex-team-mates but not Inter," he said.
"But I'm happy in England, if I come back to Italy it will be to go home.
"I don't dream about Milan, I'm happy in Manchester."
However, he did reveal that the English press was a major downside to working in England.
"I don't talk much, I let others speak. In England they invent many things to create some gossip," he said.
Balotelli denied he has problems with Mancini or that his reputation is justified.
"I get on with Mancini. I'm not going to reveal my aims but I would like to be considered a normal 20-year-old lad, a good footballer but not a Super-bad boy.
"It's easy to manage me, those who say differently haven't understood anything. I'm normal."
Aucun commentaire:
Enregistrer un commentaire