The enigmatic striker was back to England as he moved to Anfield in August 2014 for a sum of £16 million. Milan pulled a fast one on Liverpool by squeezing the English club of a few million more than Balotelli’s form had suggested.
The Reds realized the con the hard way, as Balotelli managed a meager return of four goals in 28 games, which included just one league goal which he scored in the home win against Tottenham Hotspur. Exasperated by his lack of form, Liverpool shipped him back to Milan on loan for one season.
Balotelli reigned back on the tomfoolery, amending his behaviour at Milan this season. A behaviour-based clause was allegedly inserted into his contract while re-signing for Milan, which might have kept him in check. But, along with the legalities, it is hard to look beyond the fact that Balotelli has grown-up and arguably matured. When played, he remains one of the most fouled players in the game. The change in his behaviour is predominantly reflected in the manner in which he responds to these niggling challenges.
Judging Balotelli on the basis of the hyper-sensationalized stories is easy. However, to adequately gauge the player and assess his shortcomings, the appropriate parameters should be established.
Change in demeanour?
As a forward, Balotelli will invariably be evaluated on the premise of the number of goals he scores. Under ordinary circumstances, this would be a meritorious argument. In Mario’s case though, an additional layer of consideration must be laid.
An analysis of Mario Balotelli’s heat maps would constantly suggest that Mario rarely ventures into the penalty box. He principally operates between the edge of the final third and the edge of the box. Does this mean Balotelli is a trequartista, a no.10?
No, Balotelli doesn’t necessarily aid in creating chances. Nor is he a defensive forward, hassling defenders on the ball. Balotelli, unlike most players in his bracket, is a quasi-forward. He plays in-between the lines, permitting attacking midfielders to run into space ahead of him.
The most successful quasi-forward in modern football is Luis Suarez. But, unlike Mario Balotelli, Suarez makes his presence felt in the penalty box, yielding enviable goal tallies. Balotelli possesses all the attributes of a goal-scoring centre-forward. If only he would play in the box more often.
In the words of Silvio Berlusconi, “Mario has unmatched athletic attributes. In training, I see him take shots that break the net and he shows outstanding ball control. Several times I have said to him 'Mario, do you want to win? You need to score to win and to do that you have to get close to the goal'.
Can he make it?
With the Euros around the corner, Balotelli might feel spurred to bring out the best in him before the end of the season. The dearth of quality strikers in the Italian squad is evident with the likes of Eder, Graziano Pelle, Simone Zaza and Ciro Immobile wearing the blue. None of these players can match Balotelli’s flair and artistry. Mario is streets ahead of his competition.
Antonio Conte though appreciates graft over craft, attitude over ability. Balotelli has corrected his behaviour to a large extent, but his damning form might prevent him from boarding the plane to France in June. Nevertheless, the competition is unlikely to keep him from regaining a spot in the first-team in the long-run. If he were to return to his explosive ways (on the pitch), Mario can quite easily spearhead La Nazionale’s attack in Russia come 2018.
Balotelli’s star-power is at an all-time low. The biggest clubs are no longer queuing for his signature. But, his career is far from over. Relatively smaller teams (not without ambition) would gladly onboard him. Teams such as Fiorentina, Everton, Lyon and Villarreal might be bidding adieu to their star forwards in the summer and will be scouring the market for a replacement. Few better than Mario might prove to be an upgrade.
Mario Balotelli is at a crucial juncture in his career. Entitlement is a thing of the past. Mario must earn his stripes on merit.
