Should Antonio Conte Take Mario Balotelli to Euro 2016?

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Mario Balotelli has played just over 850 minutes for AC Milan this season.

Appearing 20 times—starting eight games in the Coppa Italia and Serie A—he has scored thrice; in the category of surprising (yet not-quite-surprising) stats, the centre-forward has more yellow cards than goals.

On loan from Liverpool, Balotelli was tasked with rapidly adjusting to Italian football once more after a turbulent 2014/15 with Brendan Rodgers’ side. Scoring a goal in his first start, there was hope the 25-year-old would comfortably assimilate back into the Rossoneri, but a sports hernia dented that progression.

Missing four months and 16 matches, many would look at Balotelli‘s statistics, add what they saw at Liverpool last season and conclude he has regressed beyond the point of salvation. That seems—based on the evidence—a premature assumption, but pretending decisions are not made off premature assumptions would be foolish.

Milan and Liverpool are entering the summer still debating where the Italian striker’s future lies. The Reds have changed managers, and Balotelli‘s languid, Dimitar Berbatov-esque style does not mesh well with Jurgen Klopp’s “gegenpressing” philosophy.

In that sense, it follows the former Inter Milan and Manchester City player would prefer to stay at the San Siro. Rory Brigstock-Barron of the Daily Mail reported Milan “want to keep” Balotelli, so some hope exists for the attacker. Where hope lacks, though, is the Italy national side.

Since Antonio Conte took over as Italy manager, Balotelli hasn’t featured. He received his debut and 32 additional caps under Cesare Prandelli’s reign, but since the 2014 FIFA World Cup, “Super Mario” has not been played by Juventus‘ former manager.

Possibly Balotelli‘s best performances with the Italy national side came during UEFA Euro 2012. The then-21-year-old scored three goals in six matches, including a brace in the semi-final vs. Germany. Despite losing the final to Spain 4-0, he was earmarked for great success.

Projecting four years later, it would have been unimaginable in 2012—even as late as the 2014 World Cup—for Balotelli to miss Euro 2016, but it appears possible (edging closer to inevitable).

The notion is rather head-scratching. When looking at Italy’s centre-forward options, the AC Milan man, though struggling, is clearly more talented than the rest of his compatriots, but therein lies the problem: How long can Balotelli be given credit for what we think he can do?

His potential and obvious talent allowed him to walk into Prandelli’s side, but Conte is not so forthcoming, and Balotelli has done little to change hearts and minds—even if you consider injuries, suspensions and inconsistent versions of both Milan and Liverpool.

As a pragmatist, Chelsea‘s future head coach should consider taking Balotelli to France. Like everything related to the striker, it would be a gamble, but how many Italian centre-forward options have something special to unlock defences?

Graziano Pelle is not that man. Eder is not that man. Possibly the likes of Simone Zaza or Ciro Immobile are, but to the scale of Balotelli? No. 

Proven on international stages, one of the world’s best penalty takers and capable of dead-ball brilliance, surely Conte cannot leave for Euro 2016 without having Balotelli as a contingency strategy?

As for the player himself, time is rapidly running out.

Twenty-one turns to 25, which turns to 30 in the blink of an eye. Potential talent does not really count anymore; Balotelli must extract the best from himself and prove he warrants a spot in Italy’s 23-man roster—lest he be one that got away.

 

*Stats via WhoScored.com; transfer fees via Soccerbase where not noted.

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