Football news - The Warm-Up: Mario Balotelli deals with something he should never have to deal with
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Updated 05/11/2019 at 08:53 GMT
It's been happening for his whole life so he's used to it, but it's pretty revolting that Mario Balotelli has to
Mario Balotelli #45 of Brescia Calcio reacts to racist chants from Verona fans during the Serie A match between Hellas Verona and Brescia Calcio at Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi on November 3, 2019 in Verona, Italy.
Image credit: Getty Images
TUESDAY’S BIG STORIES
Balotelli faces down the racists
It was sadly inevitable that after Mario Balotelli was very clearly racially abused while playing for Brescia at Hellas Verona on Sunday, that various dunces would try to claim that he was mistaken, and he wasn’t racially abused. Or maybe that he was, but the fans didn’t mean it like that, honest, they were just trying to put him off his game. For the avoidance of doubt here is the video.
Step forwards then, Luca Castellini, Verona’s chief ultra, who basically ticked off every point on the cretin’s bingo card with his statement to Radio Cafe on Monday. He said:
We’re an irreverent fan base, who make fun of bald players, ones with long hair, southern players and the ones of colour, but we don’t do it with political or racist instincts. It’s folklore, there’s nothing more to it than that. Like against Milan two years ago, we celebrated and clapped for Mario. Indeed, the referee, when Balotelli threw the ball, didn’t even realise why. You should all wait for the decision of the FIGC judge. You’ll see that Verona’s curva won’t be punished. The chants came from only four people, who were only heard by the people who recorded the video. Balotelli only heard it in his own head
Castellini went on to use a few other words that we won’t reproduce here, but for his own part, Balotelli reacted to that with a degree of patience that Castellini didn’t deserve, posting on Instagram a measured yet angry response.
“This has nothing to do with football,” he said. “You are getting into social and historical situations that are bigger than you, you small-minded people.”
Damn right. Solidarity, Mario.
Gomes expected to make a full recovery, but will Son?
The good news first. Everton reported on Monday that the surgery on Andre Gomes’s horrendous ankle injury that, with apologies, left his foot pointing entirely the wrong way against Tottenham, “went extremely well” and with a bit of luck, the Portuguese midfielder will make a full recovery.
“The Portugal international will now spend some time recovering in hospital, before returning to USM Finch Farm to start his rehabilitation under the guidance of the club’s medical staff,” the club said in a statement. “. On behalf of André, the Club would like to thank all Everton supporters and members of the wider football family for the overwhelming messages of support we have received since yesterday’s match.”
Gomes is the most important party in all of this, but let’s not forget Son Heung-min, the player unintentionally involved in inflicting the injury.
“It does affect you,” said Tottenham left-back Ben Davies. “It’s not the first time it has happened to me in a game, it happened when Séamus Coleman suffered a bad injury for Ireland [against Wales] as well. It shakes you up, it really does. It doesn’t matter if it’s your teammate or not. You can see the emotion across the pitch.
“Son is really shaken up. He’s down about what happened. I speak for everyone when I say sympathy for Gomes, I hope he’s alright. We will try to pick him [Son] up as much as we can. It’s tough right now. It’s just about making sure that he realises he didn’t go out there to hurt anyone, he thinks that people may see that in him but it’s not the case.”
From the sounds of things Son will get plenty of support from his colleagues, as well he should, but hopefully if he requires anything more, he’ll get that help too. Inevitably, he will be affected by this. Hopefully, not too much.
Ten Hag won’t be taking over at Bayern…yet
As soon as Niko Kovac was handed his cards by Bayern Munich on Sunday, it was inevitable that Erik ten Hag’s name would be mentioned as a possible successor in Bavaria.
Not only did he guide that brilliant young team to the latter stages of the Champions League last season and this term has helped them to an unbeaten start in the Eredivisie, he also used to work at Bayern, as coach of their reserve team a few years ago.
It almost makes too much sense, but Ten Hag confirmed on Monday that he would be staying at Ajax. For now.
“I can confirm that,” he said, when asked if he would remain in Amsterdam for the rest of this season. “I feel a strong connection with my team, with everyone with Ajax. I can confirm I will stay in Ajax this season.
“Bayern is a fantastic club – I felt really comfortable and really enjoyed working there. They are still in my heart, but now I am with Ajax. I’m not a dreamer – I focus on Ajax and that’s important. I live for today, my only focus is on Ajax and tomorrow’s game with Chelsea.”
However, if the position is still open next summer, it’s actually pretty difficult to think of a better suited candidate for the role. Now all Bayern have to do is find someone at a loose end to keep things ticking over for the rest of the season…
HEROES AND ZEROS
Hero: Florentino Perez, the optimist
We’ll preface this by saying that nobody in Spain seems to be talking about this, barring the usual “according to reports in England” stuff, so the chances of it actually being true are slim to zero. But on the off chance there is a grain of reality to the whole thing, you have to take your hat off the Florentino Perez for the pure, innocent optimism of a bid like this. Maybe he’s got the nod that Sterling wants out and this is Real Madrid’s first step, maybe Sterling’s people are using him as a useful tool to get whatever it is they want. Maybe it’s all nonsense. But let’s enjoy it for now.
Zero: The racists
Same as yesterday.
RETRO CORNER
On this (yester)day in 2000, Mark Viduka scored all four goals as Leeds United beat Liverpool 4-3. An underrated/under-remembered player, was Viduka.
HAT TIP
It cannot be overestimated how much value Jurgen Klopp places on preparation. Those who know him best say he makes more decisions about the future of the players and the team he selects based on what he sees on the training pitch rather than the Anfield pitch. Why did Divock Origi get more chances than Xherdan Shaqiri in the important games at the end of last season despite the clamour to include the Swiss winger? “Because of the way Divock trained — I could not ignore it,” Klopp said. Why is Adam Lallana getting a chance as a No 6 when he’s never played there in his life? The answer to that is rooted in Lallana’s application at Melwood.
The Athletic’s Simon Hughes lifts the curtain and invites us to inspect what’s going on at Melwood.
COMING UP
The Chaaaaaaaaaaaaaaampiooooooooooooons. We’re back, back, back baby, and with some absolute bangers. Not least Borussia Dortmund v Inter, Chelsea v Ajax and Liverpool v Genk. Strap in.
And to bring you news of how we’ve completely jinxed those games by promising you brilliant football, Ben Snowball will be here tomorrow.
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