Balotelli To Be Handed Shock Italy Role?
Mario Balotelli To Be Handed Shock Italy Role?
Having just been recalled to the Italy national team, striker Mario Balotelli could be handed a surprising role within the group in the coming future.
Balotelli's Next Move Revealed?
The Nice forward returned to the Azzurri fold after a four-year absence recently, and marked his call-up with a stunning goal against Saudi Arabia on Monday.
Before that match, it was reported that Italy manager Roberto Mancini is considering giving the former Liverpool forward the vice-captaincy, which seemingly led to a racist banner displaying the words "my captain has Italian blood" being held up in the crowd in the Italians' fixture against the Saudis.
Mancini has since insisted he would have no problem handing the 27-year-old the captain's armband if necessary, despite the abovementioned unsavoury incident.
"In the national team, the armband always goes to the player with the most caps," Mancini said, as quoted by FourFourTwo.
"If Balotelli were in the starting XI and had more caps than the others, then he would be captain.
"The banner we saw in St Gallen was an ugly incident that should not have happened.
"In any case, Balotelli is in doubt to play against France on Friday, and we will only decide tomorrow morning."
The former Manchester City striker has been capped 34 times by the four-time world champions and has scored 14 goals until now.
Do you think the Italian FA needs to be tougher on their supporters' behaviour at games? Have your say in the comments section below.
T-spoon24