Before the mohawks, the money and the madness, there was Milan.
Mario Balotelli needs little introduction, the AC Milan striker having arguably become one of world football’s most instantly recognisable faces. That the reasons for the fame have very little to do with his profession is also well-documented, with his parking tickets, prison visits and impromptu firework displays all reported around the world.
At times, these stories have been so outlandish that they make the 25 year old appear more like a character in a soap opera rather than an athlete, and like many of those it seems he too is set for a re-run. Indeed, as his time at Liverpool ends in disappointment, Balotelli’s struggle could once again be ended by his return to Milan.
If that too has a familiar air, it is for good reason. Balotelli’s spell at Manchester City led to the same outcome and Brendan Rodgers has followed in the footsteps of Roberto Mancini in admitting defeat in his attempts to capitalise on Balotelli’s obvious talent. It is no surprise to see that it is the Rossoneri who have taken advantage of the situation, with both the club and the city fully aware that they have been the only place in which Balotelli regularly produced his best football.
His first stretch in the red-and-black half of San Siro began in January 2013, when he arrived for €20 million (Dhs85m) from City and settled instantly, thanks in no small part to the way in which he was used by Max Allegri. For all the criticism the coach endured at Milan, he did not repeat Mancini’s mistakes as, with the team stuttering prior to the striker’s arrival, there was no experimenting or over-elaboration.
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Playing Balotelli up front as the focal point of the side each and every Sunday, Allegri was subsequently rewarded with the most sustained and consistent run of form in the striker’s club career. In 12 starts, he netted 12 goals, carrying Milan almost single-handedly up the table and ultimately lifting them into third place, guaranteeing Champions League football.
The financial benefits of that arguably repaid his transfer fee almost instantly, and he was voted as Serie A's best striker for 2013. His overall impact was questioned somewhat as his tally included six penalties, but there was so much more to his play during that time than an ability to find the back of the net.
According to statistics from WhoScored.com, Balotelli also created an average of 1.5 clear chances per game for his Milan team-mates, and their failure to convert a single one of those 20 opportunities is more indicative of the lack of quality around him than a knock on “Super Mario.”
His performances for Milan continued the following season, and by the time he moved to Anfield he boasted a record of 30 goals and six assists in just 54 appearances.
Simply put, Balotelli is at home there, growing up just two hours away in the small town of Concesio before joining the youth ranks of cross-town rivals Inter. It was there he blossomed into the player who drew the attention of a global audience, winning no fewer than three Serie A titles and the Champions League whilst still a teenager.
He speaks with what Italians instantly recognise as an accent from rural areas of Lombardy – something of a low rumbling growl –and, while his precocious talent was always going to take him away those humble beginnings, his desire to return has never been dulled.
He has acted out in during both spells in England, but Balotelli was protected much more by AC Milan, whose isolated training ground and in-house television channel kept his daily routine away from the public.
“We want Balo because we are convinced this lad realises that this is absolutely his last chance,” said Milan CEO Adriano Galliani said on Sunday. Those words might well be true but, to put it simply, there is no other club – and indeed no other city – better for him to seize that opportunity.
Milan is home, and for Mario Balotelli, there is no place like it.
