Balotelli Jousts With TV Guys After Sub And Loss

((HT: SkySports Italy))

The HQ warns you, the exchange is in Italian...

But the bottom line is that Mario Balotelli wasn't going to take any criticism lightly...

AC Milan lost to Roma 2-0 and the hosts decided that they were going after Balotelli for lack of movement and pressed on his exchange with manager Clarence Seedorf when he was taken off in the 69th minute...


The translation from the Canadian Press:

Balotelli said: "When Milan wins Mario is great, when it loses Mario is bad."

Told by one studio host that he doesn't move enough on the pitch, Balotelli responded: "You don't know anything about football. Trust me."

Balotelli even took to his 2.5-million Twitter followers to talk about it:

"Mamma mia divido l Italia in 2! Però! Mentre quasi tutto l Estero è unito con me! What a strange game:-)"

("Mamma mia I divide Italy in 2! Wow! While nearly everyone abroad is united with me!")

Nothing changes with enigmas, does it...???

Balotelli Victim Of Racist Chants Again...???

((HT: HQ Football 24))

This is getting really tiresome, but the HQ knows short of empty stadia where fans aren't allowed to support their teams and massive fines on the teams that allow their fans to say racist things toward opposing players, that what may have happened AGAIN today in Serie A will just keep happening...

It's been a long year for AC Milan and their game against Napoli wasn't doing them any favors...

Down 2-1 with 15 minutes left, manager Clarence Seedorf pulled Balotelli- who, it has been reported, was the target of racist chants... this has yet to be substantiated where Seedorf says his tears were that of a sportsman who cares and not Napoli words.

Roma's Ignazio Abate thought the tears were out of disappointment:

“Mario really cares about doing well with Milan and making his mark. He is sentimental. It’s a shame that he got so downhearted about it, as he needs to keep his head up.”

Here's the shot into the dugout focused on Balotelli- interpret as you wish...


Milan would lose 3-1

Balotelli's Maturation Stunted In World Cup Qualifier

((HT: Goal))

There was a lot of build-up in the Italy-Czech Republic qualifier the other night...

A lot of build-up that ended up in a scoreless draw that really did nothing for either side, or the fans that put their money down to see it...

But, for those that did, it was a chance to see Mario Balotelli get two yellow cards in quick succession and take out his red-carded frustrations on inanimate objects...


See...???

He could be a big league pitcher or something over here in the Colonies...

Racist Chants Stop Serie A Match... For A While...

((HT: RAI))

AS Roma and AC Milan were playing a, somewhat, uninspired draw in Serie A Sunday when the referee decided that enough was enough... and it had nothing to do with the play on the pitch.

There's a new rule on the books that says the ref can call a match if he feels that things are out of control, and he can stop play. And allegedly racist taunts were a reason to do it...

Sulley Muntari was sent off for what happened below...


And Totti was sent off for "something" in stoppage time...


Milan will have to wait for the last day of the season to figure out if they're gonna make Champions League or not...

Baletlli did it: Italy slides by Germany and heads to Euro finals

Mario Balotelli

Well, it certainly didn't lack for entertainment value. And it had more scoring than the other semi-final too.

Italy beat Germany 2-1 Thursday afternoon to reach the Euro 2012 Finals against Spain. Oh, the game will be played in Ukraine for those curious.

Your star of the game: Mario Balotelli with 2 goals for Italy. Quite honestly, the storyline started on his goal in the 20th minute and ended when he scored again 16 minutes later.

And the game was relatively controversy free...so it had that going for it. Though Balotelli did create a bit of a stir after his second goal when he took off his shirt. That in soccer is cause for a Yellow Card.

It winds down, but doesn't finish what has been a highly entertaining couple of weeks. The soccer played in the tourney has been top-notch and thanks to ESPN, the games have been running in the afternoons and have drawn pretty good ratings.

It would be nice to see this kind of soccer take off here in the states, and it is showing signs of happening with the TV ratings improving and in fact exploding when Team USA plays.

We can only hope it is a precursor of things to come.

Here's the second goal, which broke Germany's back...
((HT: UEFA/youtube))

OSG Prem: Man City Wastes Opportunity, Relegation Tightens

((HT: Premier League/ESPN))

Sunderland gave Manchester City fits at the Etihad Saturday, so much so that for 80 minutes manager Roberto Mancini was driven crazy by a team asleep at the switch.

It took two goals in less than two minutes to get the 3-3 draw, but the whole day seems to be symbolized by enigma Mario Balotelli and his hissy fit during a free kick...


And for his postgame interview, Mancini let everyone have it...
As well he should have for a team that everyone chalked up a win for against a middle-of-the-table team...
((HT: Premier League/MCFC/youtube))


The teams at the bottom of the table continue to impress and play with urgency. Bolton took care of Wolves to solidify the latter's fate for relegation. QPR and Wigan also won against Arsenal and Stoke.

Wolves are six points behind Wigan, QPR, and Blackburn. Rovers have a game in hand until their match with ManU Monday. Bolton have 29 points.

But does Aston Villa realize that they're only five points north of being demoted...??? That's the question...

Balotelli's Showboat Fail

((HT: MLS on ESPN/youtube))

The HQ completely gets the idea put forth in this World Football Challenge.

Bring a bunch of teams from around the globe to the New World and show us all what we're missing... and, for the most part, it's been an education.

Sunday Man City and the LA Galaxy were going at it in Los Angeles when temperamental child-child prodigy Mario Balotelli decided to do a little showboating...


Man City head coach Roberto Mancini had seen enough in Balotelli's exhibition of exhibitionism and pulled him...

As he should have... and the fact that Balotelli didn't get why he was pulled means he still doesn't get why everyone on this or any other planet thinks he's a royal pain in the ass...

This isn't the UAE, son...