Argentina Coach Jorge Sampaoli insists “I’d like to have Mario Balotelli as my player”, after the Nice striker was snubbed by Italy.
Interim Azzurri CT Luigi Di Biagio opted not to call on Super Mario, despite his fine form in France over the past two years, sparking condemnation from the player’s agent, Mino Raiola.
“I’d like to have Mario Balotelli as my player,” Sampaoli insisted in his Press conference, as the two teams prepare to meet tomorrow.
Argentina Coach Jorge Sampaoli insists “I’d like to have Mario Balotelli as my player”, after the Nice striker was snubbed by Italy.
Interim Azzurri CT Luigi Di Biagio opted not to call on Super Mario, despite his fine form in France over the past two years, sparking condemnation from the player’s agent, Mino Raiola.
“I’d like to have Mario Balotelli as my player,” Sampaoli insisted in his Press conference, as the two teams prepare to meet tomorrow.
“We’re talking about a great player, with skill and passion for the game. Those are the reasons I admire him.”
Neither Inter captain Mauro Icardi nor Juventus Paulo Dybala have been included in the squad, and it appears far from certain they’ll go to the World Cup.
“We thought Dybala was one of the top in the national team, but with the passage of time maybe he hasn’t been able to adapt to our ideas.
“He’s struggling to fit in. He generates a lot of points for his club as an anarchist footballer, and that’s made him a big name in world football.
“Either we didn’t understand where to use him or he couldn’t adapt to our ideas, which are totally different to his club.
“We have to evaluate whether there are those who are better than him, or if we have to strengthen Paulo.
“Icardi’s case is similar to Dybala’s. We understood that in talking about Icardi with the national team and Icardi with his club there are differences.
“He’s coming off scoring four goals, he shows what he is every Sunday and whenever we’re in Europe we’ll watch him but there isn’t much time to adapt.
“I’m not ruling him out, he’s a player who I’m proud is Argentine but we have to focus on relationships on the pitch to make the best choice.”
Gonzalo Higuain has been called, having previously been left out by Sampaoli…
“At the moment I think he’s boosted toward a World Cup that will show him for what he is, one of the best number 9s in the world.
“If he’s at this level, then Argentina has a lot of strength in attack.”