Mario Balotelli, interview: “Inter, Juve, Milan, that’s how it went. I dream of the national team”

More than a theater, a stadium. An audience of very young people shouting his name. Mario Balotelli enters the stage and it’s all a program: he’s wearing an Italy tracksuit, because “I’d like to play one more match for the national team”. Super Mario starts from the beginning: “I started playing when I was three years old, in the park, on the street, in Brescia. We always played with my brother Enoch, we played too much, everywhere. As a child I was a difficult child, but a good one. Then you mature.”

lumezzane

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The beginnings: “At Lumezzane, but I wanted to go abroad. My brothers found me a contact in Barcelona. I stayed for a month. But Lumezzane wanted a lot of money and so I went to Inter.” Where Massimo Moratti took him: “I owe him a lot, a fundamental person at the beginning of my career. He gave me Inter but also made me responsible. Mancini? Very important, especially when he loved me… I still love him.” Memories fly to the night in Madrid, with the Champions League raised to the sky: “Indelible emotions. I would like to relive them every day, it was a dream and I love Mourinho. Inter was part of my growth, but England trained me more.” However, Inter are also in the evening against Barcelona and that shirt was taken off out of anger: “I wasn’t used to the boos from the whole stadium, even those from my fans and I reacted like that. Now I wouldn’t do it again.”

cassano

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Then City: “I was alone, far from home. The first time I faced life alone. So you do the right things, others not so well. And so you mature.” And that shirt Why always me?: “It was a particular period, I did it before the match with the warehouse worker. It was just a nice outburst. In England the press exaggerated with me.” And after? “After City I had to go to Juve, I was already on my way to Turin but then Raiola sent me to Milan”. When the conversation turns to the national team, Balo gets heated: “For me it was a fundamental step. I don’t want to cause controversy, but it seems to me that today there is no longer that attachment that we had. When I went to the national team I was proud to play for Italy, my country. I wanted it at all costs.” But then it suddenly ended with the blue: “I don’t know why. There weren’t any real problems. The Juventus bloc didn’t like me? I don’t know, I can’t say. I’ve always had good relationships with everyone.” Free judgments: “Riva, Baggio and Totti are the strongest attackers. I have played with few players with Cassano’s talent. Ibrahimovic? Great respect. We know he annoys you, but he does it if he loves you, otherwise he doesn’t consider you.” The future? “I have offers from abroad, I’m physically well and I would like to stay in Italy. Let’s see, I’m at a standstill.”