Marseille’s Rod Fanni describes Nice’s signing of Mario Balotelli as “like Russian roulette”, but Lucien Favre believes the striker isn’t in top condition yet.
The Italian international could make his Ligue 1 debut this weekend when Les Aiglons face welcome l’OM to Allianz Riviera.
“Balotelli is Russian roulette,” Fanni opined in a pre-match Press conference.
Marseille’s Rod Fanni describes Nice’s signing of Mario Balotelli as “like Russian roulette”, but Lucien Favre believes the striker isn’t in top condition yet.
The Italian international could make his Ligue 1 debut this weekend when Les Aiglons face welcome l’OM to Allianz Riviera.
“Balotelli is Russian roulette,” Fanni opined in a pre-match Press conference.
“It's all good if he has his head in place, all bad if he has his head upside down. You have to do your talking on the pitch. But we will not take him lightly and only consider his less successful recent seasons.
“I think he must have a point to prove, his pride will have taken a hit in coming to Nice. That’s how I see it, he’ll be out to prove a point so we can’t take him lightly.
“Not to mention this will be his first game, so he’ll have things to prove.”
Marseille Coach Franck Passi was also wary about the quality of the former Milan forward.
“He’s a huge player, everyone knows that, you always have to pay attention to him on the pitch.”
However, in his own Press conference, Nice Coach Lucien Favre warned that Super Mario may not be ready to start.
“It’s going very well, but we’ll see if he plays,” Favre said.
“From a behavioural point of view it’s going very well, that’s very positive, he’s listening. As I’ve said, when you look on the internet at the goals he’s scored and the things he can do, the potential is there.
“There’s a lot of reconstruction work to be done though. Physically yes, but also in his movements, the phases of the game both offensively and defensively.
“It’ll take time.”