Mario Balotelli opens up about his bad reputation and hopes to ‘win again’ at his new club Sion.
The Italy international has joined the Swiss club after one season at Adana Demirspor where he scored 19 goals in 35 appearances, earning a call-up to Italy national team in January 2021, two months before the Azzurri’s elimination from the World Cup play-offs.
Balotelli hadn’t been included in the squad for the match against North Macedonia in March.
“I don’t see myself as a star, I like the way Sion approached me, I am happy to play in a league that I don’t know, close to my home, in a country that makes you live more peacefully than others,” he said at his unveiling press conference, as quoted by La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“I was 98% sure to go to Sion after the first chat. I wanted to leave Adana, but all the parties had to find the right agreements. It’s never easy when you have a contract.”
Balotelli clashed with Vincenzo Montella after his final game in Turkey with the ex Fiorentina and Milan coach claiming that the club ‘expected more’ from Balotelli.
The Italian striker finds another compatriot on the bench at Sion: Paolo Tramezzani, a former Italian defender who played for Inter, Tottenham and Atalanta.
“I am happy to have him as a coach, contrary to what people think, I’ve had a good rapport with most coaches I’ve had.
“I don’t know him [Tramezzani] personally, but I’ve immediately liked his personality,” said Balotelli who was asked to comment on his supposed ‘bad reputation.’
“It comes from some mistakes I made and a lot of talks from people that I don’t know,” the ex-Inter and Milan striker explained.
“It’s been a while since the last time I won something, and it would be nice to win again.”
Balotelli scored 52 goals in 141 Serie A appearances with Inter, Milan and Brescia. The last time he played in Italy was in 2020-21 with Monza in Serie B, but he only managed six goals in 14 appearances with the Brianzoli.