Balotelli Poised For Brescia Debut Against Juventus

Balotelli joined the newly promoted side on a free transfer in the summer but had to sit out the first four games of the season due to suspension.

The 29-year-old picked up a red card in former club Olympique Marseille’s final Ligue 1 game of the 2018/2019 season, and was handed a four-game ban which applies to the Serie A regardless.

Despite his inactivity in the first month of the season, Balotelli has ruled out any suggestions of rustiness and says this is the fittest he has been in a decade.

'I think I have worked more during this month and a half than during the last ten years of my career,' the Italy international told DAZN.

I'm approaching a weight form that I rarely had. The last time was in Manchester City when I was 20 years old.'

Balotelli couldn’t have had a tougher game to make his debut than against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Juventus, but he says he is unfazed by the prospect of coming up against the five-time Ballon d’or winner.

'It does not interest me to play against Cristiano,’ Balotelli added.

'He is a great player, the best in the world with Messi, but it does not excite me, it will be a match like the others.'

Brescia have not fared too bad without Balotelli, winning two of their four games so far.

Balotelli is considered by many as an unfulfilled potential with his behaviour on and off the field often called into question.

He burst onto the scene with Inter Milan, winning the treble at the Italian club under Jose Mourinho in 2010 before switching to Manchester City in England where he helped the Citizens to win the Premier League trophy under the tutelage of Roberto Mancini in 2012.

Since then Balotelli has taken in spells at AC Milan, Liverpool and OGC Nice before ending up at Marseille in the second half of the 2018/2019 season.