Bye bye mario

[MilnersJaw]

FFS, a brace in his debut. i hate football.

Italian defenses and keepers aren't as good as English ones nor is the league as a whole plus it was his first match...i expected nothing less

is this where we tell ourselves that the premier league is the best league in the world...

[Pretty Boy Lee]

is this where we tell ourselves that the premier league is the best league in the world...

It is. 3 or 4 of the best teams in the world play elsewhere, but our league as a whole is miles better.

No way do Ronaldo of messi get 70 goals a year lining up against English defenses who don't see it as the divine right of their opponents to score 7 goals that day.

[Dameerto]

is this where we tell ourselves that the premier league is the best league in the world...

It is. 3 or 4 of the best teams in the world play elsewhere, but our league as a whole is miles better.

No way do Ronaldo of messi get 70 goals a year lining up against English defenses who don't see it as the divine right of their opponents to score 7 goals that day.

And it wont be long before the Bundesliga becomes the second best either. The sooner they do something about that two horse race in Spain (and sort the diving out) the better - having said that, it's a different second horse this season, obviously just a blip given the frankly fraudulent disparity in TV revenue between the 'big two' and the next best though.

[zuricity]

And it wont be long before the Bundesliga becomes the second best either. The sooner they do something about that two horse race in Spain (and sort the diving out) the better - having said that, it's a different second horse this season, obviously just a blip given the frankly fraudulent disparity in TV revenue between the 'big two' and the next best though.

Bundesliga is most certainly , already second best . Light years ahead of Spain and Italy, it's been that way for a long time

[Foreverinbluedreams]

Mario would've got a red card had an English ref been officiating in that game last night. Just before ht he put an arm out to hold off an opponent as the ball was dropping to him, his hand made contact with the opposition player's chest. The ref awarded a free against Mario but didn't caution him despite the Udinese player holding his neck and gesturing that he was elbowed.

Just after ht Mario lost possession near the sideline, in his attempt to win it back he kicked through the opposition player's ankle but made some contact with the ball, again the ref gave a free kick and nothing more, an English ref would've given him a yellow ( in thinking Clattenburg v WBA ) and he'd be off following his previous 'elbow' and we'd all be screaming he's a fucking liability.

[Ted Hughes]

Just seen some highlights of Mario (great finish for his 1st goal) & he's getting much more time & space than he got over here.

It will be easy for him to play the same way as he did at City but with much more success.

[Peter Doherty (AGAIG)]

Well done, Mario. I hope he does well over there, if only to piss-off the press over here.

[Ted Hughes]

It's Goal.Com but it's along the lines of what we expected:

Manchester City have first refusal on Balotelli following AC Milan switch
The striker marked his return to Italian football with two goals on Sunday, but will be offered to his former club should he be prepared to leave San Siro in the future
4 Feb 2013 12:15:00

Manchester City have secured a first refusal buy-back option as part of the £20 million sale of Mario Balotelli to AC Milan, Goal.com can reveal.

The Premier League champions cut their ties with the controversial striker last week but insisted upon several clauses in Balotelli’s new five-year contract that is also understood to include a number of performance-related add-ons.

The 22-year-old crowned his return to Serie A on Sunday with two goals, including a last-minute match-winning penalty, against Udinese to cement his status as an instant San Siro crowd favourite.

As well as a buy-back option - which is similar to the ones former Arsenal and Manchester United stars Cesc Fabregas and Cristiano Ronaldo have in their respective Barcelona and Real Madrid contracts - City will also receive a windfall should Milan sell Balotelli elsewhere in future for anything over £19.5m.

Despite his dramatic reintroduction to Italian football and the difficulties he experienced in his final months at Manchester City, Balotelli did not completely rule out a possible return to England at some point in his career during his unveiling last Friday.

He said: "I will always have a very special place in my heart for City, it's a great club with a great future.

"I thank them for all of their support of me. Maybe one day we will see each other again."

[sheblue]

Watched the whole match live on tv last night, I didnt see mario getting much more time or space on the ball than he ever did with us. He did well and unlucky not to have gotten a hat trick.
No doubt he will do well for them, its the team he WANTS to play for and that was obvious last night in his effort and work-rate.

[Hazy2]

Watched the whole match live on tv last night, I didnt see mario getting much more time or space on the ball than he ever did with us. He did well and unlucky not to have gotten a hat trick.
No doubt he will do well for them, its the team he WANTS to play for and that was obvious last night in his effort and work-rate.

He should be full of energy he has been on Holiday since last September.

[Dronny]

Surprised his transfer caught the hacks on their toes, apparently he jetted off to Milan in this jalopy

[I Just Blue Myself]

Watched the whole match live on tv last night, I didnt see mario getting much more time or space on the ball than he ever did with us. He did well and unlucky not to have gotten a hat trick.
No doubt he will do well for them, its the team he WANTS to play for and that was obvious last night in his effort and work-rate.

I watched it as well & agree with you about the time or space on the ball. The first goal was the type he would've scored in the Premier League, no question. Delivery from the byline, but with a deflection so the defenders were caught a bit flat-footed. Nice finish.

I didn't see any more work-rate than for us this season tho. If he fluffs that chance for the first goal & the ref doesn't gift Milan the penalty in the end, it's a game he would've been slated for on here (wrongly). If he was to start up top & not on the left dilly-dallying around that is. He showed that kind of movement this season, but the lack of goals & refs targeting him blinded most on here.

Well done to him either way & good luck in the future.

PS: You just knew he'd score from the spot. The best ever?

[phips]

And it wont be long before the Bundesliga becomes the second best either. The sooner they do something about that two horse race in Spain (and sort the diving out) the better - having said that, it's a different second horse this season, obviously just a blip given the frankly fraudulent disparity in TV revenue between the 'big two' and the next best though.

Bundesliga is most certainly , already second best . Light years ahead of Spain and Italy, it's been that way for a long time

putting aside team strength, the Bundesliga is already the best run league in the world

[Dwaring]

It's Goal.Com but it's along the lines of what we expected:

Manchester City have first refusal on Balotelli following AC Milan switch
The striker marked his return to Italian football with two goals on Sunday, but will be offered to his former club should he be prepared to leave San Siro in the future
4 Feb 2013 12:15:00

Manchester City have secured a first refusal buy-back option as part of the £20 million sale of Mario Balotelli to AC Milan, Goal.com can reveal.

The Premier League champions cut their ties with the controversial striker last week but insisted upon several clauses in Balotelli’s new five-year contract that is also understood to include a number of performance-related add-ons.

The 22-year-old crowned his return to Serie A on Sunday with two goals, including a last-minute match-winning penalty, against Udinese to cement his status as an instant San Siro crowd favourite.

As well as a buy-back option - which is similar to the ones former Arsenal and Manchester United stars Cesc Fabregas and Cristiano Ronaldo have in their respective Barcelona and Real Madrid contracts - City will also receive a windfall should Milan sell Balotelli elsewhere in future for anything over £19.5m.

Despite his dramatic reintroduction to Italian football and the difficulties he experienced in his final months at Manchester City, Balotelli did not completely rule out a possible return to England at some point in his career during his unveiling last Friday.

He said: "I will always have a very special place in my heart for City, it's a great club with a great future.

"I thank them for all of their support of me. Maybe one day we will see each other again."

Can someone explain the buy back option? Not sure I understand what that means.

[Ted Hughes]

Can someone explain the buy back option? Not sure I understand what that means.

It would usually mean that if ACMilan decided they were to sell Balotelli, they would have to ask us if wanted to buy him, before anyone else. It could also mean that we could buy him for a fee, already agreed.

Of course this would depend on Balotelli actually wanting to sign for us, but if he did, then we would get a clear run at it, before anyone else was allowed to bid.

[AG7]

Just saw on Sky News (not Sky Sports News) the video clip showing Silvio Berlisconi's brother racially abusing Balo at some family function? How come this hasn't made any sort of news anywhere else yet? And Sky News also played it at the end of their sports bit just as a 'matter of fact' kind of stating news that happened elsewhere.

[BlueinBosnia]

Just saw on Sky News (not Sky Sports News) the video clip showing Silvio Berlisconi's brother racially abusing Balo at some family function? How come this hasn't made any sort of news anywhere else yet? And Sky News also played it at the end of their sports bit just as a 'matter of fact' kind of stating news that happened elsewhere.

It's just started hitting the news in the past couple of hours. The Mail are reporting it, too, now.

[Florida Blue]

Just saw on Sky News (not Sky Sports News) the video clip showing Silvio Berlisconi's brother racially abusing Balo at some family function? How come this hasn't made any sort of news anywhere else yet? And Sky News also played it at the end of their sports bit just as a 'matter of fact' kind of stating news that happened elsewhere.

It's just started hitting the news in the past couple of hours. The Mail are reporting it, too, now.

ESPN has it on there landing page (very rare for footy outside of scum and USMNT) Well I guess since we have the first right of refusal on a sell on, maybe we can buy him back for (pardon the American euphemism) pennies on the dollar.

[Ted Hughes]

Just saw on Sky News (not Sky Sports News) the video clip showing Silvio Berlisconi's brother racially abusing Balo at some family function? How come this hasn't made any sort of news anywhere else yet? And Sky News also played it at the end of their sports bit just as a 'matter of fact' kind of stating news that happened elsewhere.

It's just started hitting the news in the past couple of hours. The Mail are reporting it, too, now.

ESPN has it on there landing page (very rare for footy outside of scum and USMNT) Well I guess since we have the first right of refusal on a sell on, maybe we can buy him back for (pardon the American euphemism) pennies on the dollar.

This is just fucking disgusting.

I was kind of relieved to see Mario go, for all our sakes, but seeing that, I already feel like bringing him back.

How can these people get away with this kind of shit in modern times?

Fucking nazis.

[Green & Blue]

Wow just in the door at Milan and the shit hits the fan for him and it's not even his fault this time.Hard to believe that sort of attitude is still part of modern society.Have to feel for Mario in such a situatuion it's just disgusting really for him to have to put up with that sort of attitude in Italy.