Mario Balotelli Returns to Serie A with Genoa
Mario Balotelli is set to make his return to Italian football, joining injury-stricken Serie A side Genoa, as confirmed by the club’s sporting director, Marco Ottolini, on Sunday.
Ahead of Genoa’s clash with Lazio, Ottolini shared, “Barring any surprises, Balotelli will officially be a Genoa player tomorrow (Monday).” Genoa, currently grappling with injuries to seven players—including forwards Junior Messias and Vitinha—has decided to take a chance on the free agent. Balotelli, who last played in Serie A with Brescia four years ago, spent last season at Turkish side Adana Demirspor.
“We’re going all-in on Balotelli. He’s shown a strong desire to return to Italy and play for Genoa,” Ottolini added.
Balotelli, born in Palermo to Ghanaian parents, was once one of Italy’s brightest footballing talents, projected to be a world-class striker. Now 34, this move to Genoa may represent his final opportunity to prove himself at the top level, following a tumultuous career marked by as many headlines off the pitch as on it.
Balotelli’s career highlight came during Euro 2012, where he starred for Italy, who finished as runners-up, shortly after he helped Manchester City secure their first English league title in over four decades.
Napoli Moves Five Points Clear at the Top
In other Serie A news, Giovanni Di Lorenzo ensured Napoli retained their top spot with a 1-0 win over Lecce on Saturday, moving them five points clear. The Napoli captain scored the game’s only goal, pouncing on a rebound from Scott McTominay’s header that was saved by Lecce’s goalkeeper, Wladimiro Falcone.
Despite having an earlier goal disallowed for offside, Di Lorenzo’s third goal of the season secured Napoli’s fourth consecutive win. The result puts them comfortably ahead of Inter Milan, who face Juventus in a crucial fixture on Sunday.
“It was a vital match for us, and we kept pressing to score,” Di Lorenzo told DAZN after the game.
Napoli’s Romelu Lukaku missed a golden chance early in the second half, firing over from close range, while Lecce pushed hard in the final moments but couldn’t find an equalizer.