Balotelli: I'm a man, not Peter Pan
Reuters - Saturday 23 June 2012, 18:07
Mario Balotelli has grown up and
is no longer like Peter Pan, the Italian striker told a news
conference on Saturday ahead of Italy's Euro 2012 quarter-final
against England.
Balotelli was responding to comments made by his agent Mina
Raiola, who compared his client to the fictional character
created by J.M. Barrie who could fly and refused to grow up.
"I think these are metaphors for Mario the person, not
Mario the footballer. I think I'm a man - I don't think I need
to say it, but I am.
"I could be Peter Pan in that I do things my own way and
I'm very free, but I think I'm more of a man than Peter Pan."
After a slow start to his Euro 2012 campaign, Balotelli
found the net in Italy's final group game against Ireland, and
the Manchester City striker said he was looking forward to
playing against his club team-mates Joe Hart and James Milner on
Sunday.
"I hope it's going to be a good match and I think it's
going to be fun to play against my team-mates. They know me and
I know them, so I hope that they're going to be nice.
"But even if they are my team mates I hope they are going
to lose."
The temperamental front man faced plenty of questions about
his state of mind, among them a comment by Hart.
The England goalkeeper had previously said that there were
two Balotellis, one able to turn a game with an outrageous piece
of skill, the other likely to get a straight red card.
"Lucky him, he knows two Mario Balotellis," the striker
quipped.
ORGANISED SIDE
Italy coach Cesare Prandelli told reporters that his side
would have to be brave as England were one of the most compact
and organised sides at the tournament.
"They play within a space of 40 yards, we need to make sure
we stop them from playing football," he said.
"The side we are going to take on has a lot of characters,
it's going to be a meeting with a very tough side. We need to go
into the game without any fear, we mustn't have any
psychological hang-ups."
Prandelli indicated that midfielder Thiago Motta had
recovered from a muscle injury and should be fit to play.
"I think he has a bit of a muscle problem but he's trained
with his team mates today and is available for selection
tomorrow. We'll make a tactical choice on that."
Andrea Barzagli said he and his fellow defenders would have
to stay focused if they are to shackle England's Wayne Rooney,
who returned from suspension to score in England's victory over
hosts Ukraine.
"How do you stop him? As a team we can stop him, because
there's four of us at the back. It's a team effort, we know just
how good Rooney is and just how good England are as a side.
We'll have to be 100 percent focused."