Genoa has finally made a decision after careful consideration: to sign Mario Balotelli. This decision was influenced by the injuries that have affected the team’s three forwards, namely Messias, Vitinha and Ekuban, all struggling with muscular problems that will keep them away from the field at least until the end of November. Although there is still no official confirmation from the club, the news of the return of the former national team forward is confirmed by sources close to the management. On Monday, Balotelli is expected for the preliminary medical visits before joining Gilardino’s work group, with whom he has already collaborated in the past.

For Balotelli, who has shown his enthusiasm for this new adventure since the first rumors, it is a return to Serie A, a championship in which he has not played since the 2019/20 season, when he wore the Brescia jersey. In the following season, SuperMario spent a few months at Monza in Serie B, before trying to relaunch himself in Turkey with Adana Demirspor.

Balotelli’s career has been marked by highs and lows. Genoa met him in 2006, when he was still a promising youngster on loan from Inter and playing for Lumezzane in Serie C. The following year he made his debut in Serie A with Inter, where he remained for three successful seasons, winning three league titles, a Coppa Italia, a Supercoppa Italiana and the Champions League. He later moved to Manchester City, where he became a star thanks to his goals, but his career was also accompanied by controversy, as demonstrated by the famous “Why always me?” t-shirt he showed off in 2011 after a goal in the derby against United, in response to criticism from the media.

With the Italian national team, Balotelli reached the final of the European Championship in 2012, losing to Spain. However, his experience with the blue jersey ended in 2018, in a match against Saudi Arabia. After Manchester City, Balotelli played for Milan, then returned to the Premier League at Liverpool, where he did not find fortune. His career, marked by controversial episodes, continued in France with Nice and Olympique Marseille, before landing in Turkey and Switzerland, at Sion.

After his contract was not renewed last June, Balotelli continued to train with a fitness coach near Brescia, waiting for an opportunity. He also sent signals to Serie A through live social media. Finally, Genoa’s call came true. So far, the team has only won once against Monza, with draws against Inter, Roma and Bologna, and has collected just one point in its last four games. In addition, the team is facing an injury crisis: in addition to the absences of Ekuban, Vitinha and Messias, Gilardino also has to deal with the long layoff of Malinovskyi