Mario Balotelli is one of the biggest enigmas in world football.  He has a supreme natural talent.  When he’s in full force, he is difficult for any defender to stop.

However, the 25-year-old has never been able to hold himself in that form for very long.  

On the field, he switches from locked-in periods where no one can contain him to times when he looks like he wants to do anything but kick a ball.  

If his service dries up, he becomes frustrated and kicks more advertizing boards—and opponents—than footballs.  Off the field, a mess of bizarre incidents have distracted his focus even further.

After attempts to settle at Inter Milan, Manchester City, AC Milan and Liverpool all failed, Balotelli made a surprise return to the Rossoneri at the end of the summer transfer window on loan.  

After his utter failure in his first season at Anfield, it seemed clear to all observers that this go-round at Milan would be his last chance in big-club football.

After Sunday’s game against Genoa, that chance may have come and gone.

Balotelli‘s season started well.  He made his debut three rounds into the season in the most high pressure of situations—the Derby della Madonnina, something he has experienced from both sides.  He had an instant impact on the game, nearly pulling a draw out of the fire only to be denied by Inter goalkeeper Samir Handanovic.

His good form continued in a 20-minute appearance in the next week against Palermo before being granted his first start against Udinese.  He responded with a man-of-the-match performance, scoring a beautiful free kick and looking dangerous throughout the game.

After another good performance the next week in Milan’s 1-0 loss to Genoa, Balotelli unexpectedly ended up out of action.  A hernia put him on the shelf for nearly four months.

In that time, Carlos Bacca emerged as a monster.  By the time Balotelli returned for a cameo appearance in Milan’s 2-0 win over Fiorentina at the San Siro, the Colombian had scored 11 times in all competitions and developed good chemistry with M’Baye Niang, who has been largely irremovable as the South American’s partner.

In the month that Balotelli‘s been back, he’s been a bit player at best.  He’s only started once, the first leg of the Coppa Italia semifinal against Alessandria; he hasn’t played more than 45 minutes in a league game.

Now it looks like he may not play again.

Thrown on as a last-minute sub on Sunday against Genoa, Balotelli‘s mind was anywhere but the San Siro.  To call him lethargic would almost be an insult to lethargy—and his disinterest brought down the ire of his coach.

Sinisa Mihajlovic was irate in general at his post-match press conference.  Milan had had several chances to kill the game off with a third goal, and they let Genoa close in during stoppage time with a very soft goal.  

But the Milan coach saved a special message for Balotelli.  “Those who don’t sacrifice themselves for the team to the 94th minute,” he told Mediaset Premium (h/t Football Italia), “will no longer set foot on the field.”

Balotelli wasn’t the only player Mihajlovic was referring to—he alluded to two or three more in his comments that he was similarly dissatisfied with—but given his past he is the one who will be focused on the most.

It’s obvious that the lack of consistent playing time since his return is allowing Balotelli‘s mind to wander.  He isn’t focused as a sub, and his play has been lackluster to say the best.

Balotelli needs to change his mindset.  With Bacca and Niang the first choice, Luiz Adriano competing for time behind them and Jeremy Menez finally healthy, his playing time is going to be hard to come by—if it comes at all after Sunday’s tirade by Mihajlovic.  

Balotelli needs to treat each minute he gets as a jewel rather than loaf through it.

Former Italy manager Cesare Prandelli, long one of Balotelli‘s biggest advocates, wrote this week in his regular column on Calciomercato (h/t Football Italia) that he should look to Juventus forward Simone Zaza for an example about how to behave in his new role.

A starter for the last two years at Sassuolo, Zaza has found minutes few and sometimes far between at the Juventus Stadium, but when he has played, he has given 100 percent effort all the time.  Sometimes it’s been to his detriment—see his red card against Chievo two weeks ago as evidence of that.  But no one has ever accused him of lacking effort once he’s stepped onto the field.

Balotelli‘s career is now at the ultimate crossroads.  If he doesn’t shape up mentally and show some form on the field, his time as a major-club player will be over.  He will become this generation’s Antonio Cassano—an extraordinarily gifted striker who bounces between mid- and low-table sides because he could never get his attitude right.

If Mihajlovic‘s threat on Sunday is more than just motivational talk, that fate is already sealed.  If he can work his way out of the doghouse and back onto the field, Balotelli will have to work overtime to ward it off.

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