Balotelli Exiled By Brescia For Disciplinary Reasons Ahead Of Roma Game
Mario Balotelli is back in the headlines for the wrong reasons once again after the maverick Italian striker was exiled from the Brescia squad for Sunday’s trip to AS Roma.
Balotelli was involved in a training ground disagreement with new manager Fabio Grosso on Thursday which has seen him dropped.
The 29-year-old has scored two goals in nine appearances this season but that has not been enough for the Serie A newcomers, who sit bottom of the table going into this weekend’s fixtures.
Brescia have won just two games this season while they have lost eight times.
Grosso, who scored Italy’s winning penalty in the 2006 FIFA World Cup final against France, replaced Eugenio Corini at the start of the month but is still searching for his first win.
"What happened with Balotelli is something I'd already experienced in the past. I demand great intensity and a high tempo in my training sessions. When that doesn't happen, I prefer to change and make the session tougher," Grosso said on Saturday ahead of the trip to the capital.
"He didn't do that and was set to one side. I don't want to minimise the incident, nor blow it out of proportion. It will be crucial for me to use everyone at my disposal, but I can only do so much. At a certain point, he has to help himself.
"You will know of disciplinary action, but I prefer to communicate these things to the players first myself. It'll be for the good of the team. I don't deny what I said about Mario, because I still really want to use his characteristics for the side."
