Former Liverpool and Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli is set to join Serie B side AC Monza on a short-term deal, which the club’s CEO has described as his ‘last chance’.
The 30-year-old striker has been a free agent since his contract with Brescia was rescinded during the summer amid allegations of ill-discipline.
According to Sky Sports, Balotelli will undergo a medical on Monday ahead of a deal that will see him join Monza until the end of the 2020/21 season.
Balotelli last featured for Brescia before his contract was terminated | Emilio Andreoli/Getty Images
Monza, who based north-east of Milan, were promoted to Serie B after the 2019/20 season was cut short at the height of the pandemic.
The club were bought by 83-year-old former AC Milan owner and Italian prime minster Silvio Berlusconi in 2018, who is dreaming of taking the club all the way to Serie A.
Balotelli – who was also linked with Vasco de Gama and Barnsley – will be Monza’s most high-profile acquisition yet, trumping the deal to sign ex-Tottenham and Barcelona star Kevin-Prince Boateng back in September.
Boateng is Monza’s other high-profile signing | Jonathan Moscrop/Getty Images
Monza’s chief executive Adriano Galliani, who previously worked with Balotelli at AC Milan, spoke of the striker’s imminent arrival, which he described as a ‘last chance’.
“I gave him a proper talking to, and told him this is truly the last, absolutely last, completely the last chance,” Galliani said, via Gazzetta dello Sport.
“I love Mario, he’s a player with the kind of technical and physical qualities that should’ve allowed him do so much more with his career.
“There were flashes of exceptional quality and I can’t understand why he can’t get even better. After all, he is only 30 years old.”
Former Italian PM Berlusconi is in charge of Monza | Pier Marco Tacca/Getty Images
Berlusconi once famously described Balotelli as a ‘rotten apple’, though Galliani insists there is no bad blood between the boss and his new signing.
Galliani said: “The president is enthusiastic, he gave me the all-clear, I passed Mario over to him on the phone and they had a talk.
“The boy treated these talks like a friend. He accepted a lower salary with some variables that are based on performance, appearances and promotion into Serie A.
Always making the headlines (???????? ??? ???-???????? ???????) and most recently linked with a move to Barnsley!
Mario Balotelli is ????? a free agent. So where next? ? pic.twitter.com/I40VuM9tPk
— 90min (@90min_Football) November 20, 2020
“His agent Mino Raiola also took no commission. Mario gave up a very important contract he could’ve had in Rio de Janeiro with Vasco da Gama.”
Premier League winner Balotelli shone in his first spell at Milan between 2012 and 2014, scoring 30 goals in 54 appearances for the Rossoneri. However, when he returned on loan in 2015/16, it was a different story and he managed just three goals in 23 outings.
Since then he has turned out for Nice, Marseille and Brescia. While he has continued to score goals stories of off-field issues continue to plague his career.
Genuine question: Is there any other team in the Premier League which is so reliant on one player?
I would hazard a guess at ‘no’.
At half-time of Manchester United’s trip to West Ham United, the scenes on Twitter were of rage, anger and deja vu… all over again. Supporters had seen this performance a hundred times before in recent seasons – only, this display was particularly bad.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men had been torn limb from limb by the Hammers, and the fact that they were coached by the defensive-minded, ex-Man Utd flop David Moyes only added to the humiliation and pressure which was building on the Norwegian coach.
Surely, he couldn’t survive this embarrassment.
He’s got a trick up his sleeve, though. And that trick comes in the shape of the most demanding, creative and inspirational attacking midfielder in the country.
Bruno Fernandes.
Only a short time prior to kickoff, Solskjaer had confirmed that the Portuguese star would start the game on the bench, and if all goes according to plan, he wouldn’t have to step onto the London Stadium turf at all.
45 minutes into the game however, and there he was, prepped and primed, ready for action.
Bruno Fernandes (15 goals, 11 assists) equals the record for being directly involved in the most goals in a player’s first 24 Premier League appearances. Also 26 by Andy Cole (22 goals, 4 assists). #MUFC
— Emma Sanders (@em_sandy) December 5, 2020
Given just how bad the Red Devils were in that first half, it felt as if even Fernandes’ introduction could do little to stem this tide, as West Ham flew forward time and time again, cutting the Man Utd defence to absolute ribbons.
In truth, the game should have been done and dusted at half-time. If it were a boxing match, the referee would have called time on the fight and put the blinded, wounded victim out of his misery.
Fortunately for Solskjaer, those rules don’t exist in our sport.
Instead, he was given the opportunity to rectify his mistakes, and threw Fernandes into the bear pit, while probably whispering in his ear, ‘save me, Bruno, you’re my only hope’. And what unfolded, was one of the most remarkable halves of football we will see from one player in the English top flight.
Fernandes immediately began operating in the spaces in which his colleagues had failed to spot in the first half, drawing opponents out of their comfort zone and pulling defenders from side to side. Now with a man in a position to receive a pass, Man Utd’s ball-playing defender Harry Maguire had a free teammate to find, and the Red Devils suddenly became incredibly vertical and penetrative.
Bruno Fernandes vs West Ham:
44 touches 32 passes completed (84%) — 10 forward passes completed (71%) 8 chances created — 2 big chances — 1 assist 5 long passes completed
He created more chances in 45 minutes than most players created in 4-5 games. pic.twitter.com/58dDzElbXg
— UtdArena (@utdarena) December 5, 2020
It didn’t take long for him to make his mark. Running the channels from a Dean Henderson pump downfield, Fernandes was first to the long pass on the right touchline, and moving inside, he found Paul Pogba in space around 25 yards from goal.
What the Frenchman produced was simply extraordinary, and his curling, majestic goal was undoubtedly the flame which lit the touch paper.
But Fernandes was the match.
His willingness and intelligence to work in other areas of the pitch allowed Pogba his freedom, and he took full advantage. Even Pogba himself appeared to revel in his midfield partner’s arrival, as the weight of the world fell off his shoulders and onto the substitute’s.
Luckily, he’s not only an incredibly talented creator – he’s also a leader. Fernandes led by example, and demanded the same from his teammates, who eventually followed suit. The almost-equally as impactful Marcus Rashford was found time and time again by the pass-master, and the striker should have added a third when played through on goal by his supplier, but could only hit the post.
Bruno Fernandes created 8 chances from open play vs. West Ham, the most any player has created in a Premier League game this season.
He came on at half-time. ??? pic.twitter.com/raRNF9ROcm
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) December 5, 2020
At the heart of it all, was Fernandes. He managed to create eight chances over the course of the 45 minutes, for a team that had barely summoned one in the first half. Those eight chances, as pointed out by Statman Dave, were more than any one player has managed over an entire 90 minutes this season, let alone in half that time.
He literally, single-handedly transformed a game that looked out of reach at the flick of a switch.
It was the performance of a man who was signed to carry Man Utd to glory. He may not be able to do it all by himself, but let’s face it, on Saturday’s evidence, he’s pretty damn close to becoming a one-man show.
Wrap Fernandes up in cotton wool Ole, but for God’s sake, don’t try and rest him again.
A mad game of football ended all square at the Allianz Arena on Saturday, as a hat-trick of Kinglsey Coman assists saved Bayerns blushes against top of the table rivals RB Leipzig.
The champions went behind, then ahead, then behind again and then level in perhaps the game of the season in German football so far in 2020/21.
A six-goal thriller ?#FCBRBL report ?️
— FC Bayern English (@FCBayernEN) December 5, 2020
Here are the Bayern player ratings from a pulsating, if not always defensively solid evening of fussball.
Neuer assesses his life choices | Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images
Manuel Neuer (GK) – 4/10 – Mad a bad error of judgement in coming out patented sweeper-keeper style for Christopher Nkunku’s opener, which set the tone for a mad afternoon.
Benjamin Pavard – (RB) – 6/10 – Possibly the best of Bayern’s back four defensively, which isn’t saying a great deal.
David Alaba – (LB) – 5/10 – Covering at left back in the absence of Lucas Hernandez, the Austrian was not as effective in the final third as he can be.
Jerome Boateng – (CB) – 4/10 – Replaced by Chris Richards late on, neither of Bayern’s starting centre backs made a single tackle all game.
Niklas Sule – (CB) – 4/10 – Could hardly have made less effort for Leipzig’s third if he tried. A fairly dismal afternoon for the big man.
Muller’s brace saved Bayern’s blushes | Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images
Loen Goretzka – (CM) – 5/10 – Bayern’s all-action hero was pretty subdued and too often bypassed in the engine room.
Javi Martinez – (CM) – 5/10 – Taken off midway through the first-half with an apparent groin injury.
Thomas Muller – (AM) – 8/10 – A brace for the Ramdeuter who remains just about the best in the biz at what he does.
Coman was a hat-trick hero of sorts | Pool/Getty Images
Leroy Sane – (RW) – 5/10 – The former Man City star continued his run of looking underwhelming when starting games for Bayern.
Kingsley Coman – (LW) – 9/10 – A hat-trick of assists for Coman the Bavarian, who was a cut above just about every other Bayern player.
Robert Lewandowski – (ST) – 6/10 – Created space well for Muller, but Lewandowski was oddly quiet himself and had just one shot on target.
This is what a wonderkid looks like | Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images
Jamal Musiala – (CM) – 8/10 – Got Bayern back into the game with a wicked strike from the edge of the area. England/Germany, pray he chooses your country.
Serge Gnabry – (RW) – 6/10 – Similarly ineffective as Sane, unfortunately Douglas Costa – (LW) – N/A
Manchester United came from a goal behind to defeat West Ham United 3-1 at the London Stadium on Saturday, with substitute Bruno Fernandes turning the game on its head with a stellar second-half performance.
The Hammers dominated the first half, with Pablo Fornals twice going close, first hitting the side netting with a header and then poking a close-range strike against the post.
The hosts took the lead just before half-time, when Tomas Soucek outstretched a foot to flick the ball home from a corner.
West Ham continued to control the game, but they suffered a second-half sucker-punch when Paul Pogba struck a curling, vicious strike into the corner of the net from 30 yards. This, along with the introduction of Fernandes and Marcus Rashford, sparked the visitors into life.
Mason Greenwood completed the comeback only three minutes later, swivelling and firing low and hard into the far corner with venom. And Rashford wrapped up the points on 78 minutes, running on to a divine Juan Mata pass to stroke home.
The three points sends Man Utd back into the top four, while West Ham remain in seventh spot.
Let’s take a look at the player ratings from an exciting evening at the London Stadium.
All hands to the pump | Pool/Getty Images
Lukasz Fabianski (GK) – 6/10 – Smart stop to deny Martial on the stroke of half-time. Had little chance with any of the goals as West Ham crumbled in front of him.
Fabian Balbuena (CB) – 5/10 – Had a first-half strike blocked. Supported Coufal in nullifying Martial, but collapsed in the second half as Man Utd turned on the style.
Angelo Ogbonna (CB) – 5/10 – Enjoyed the battle with Cavani and kept the Uruguayan at bay. Caught cold by Greenwood’s beautiful swivel and strike. Just fell apart.
Aaron Cresswell (CB) – 6/10 – So composed in possession, allowing West Ham to play out from the back or switch play swiftly. First half great, second half disaster – although most of the action came down the other flank.
The first-half hero | Pool/Getty Images
Vladimir Coufal (RWB) – 6/10 – Dealt with Martial’s threat from wide very well, and floated in a few crosses for Haller to stick his head on. Allowed so much to come down his wing as Rashford ran riot, though.
Declan Rice (CM) – 7/10 – Flicked on the corner which led to West Ham’s opener. Closed the space in front of his defence, putting in particularly eye-catching tackles on Pogba and Rashford. Eventually outclassed by Fernandes.
Tomas Soucek (CM) – 7/10 – Flew in at the far post to tap home a much-deserved goal. Used his physical presence to unsettle Man Utd’s more creative midfielders. Helpless as the visitors bypassed the midfield with counter-attacks.
Arthur Masuaku (LWB) – 5/10 – Saw off the threat of Greenwood comfortably, and constantly overlapped down the left flank to offer help to Fornals. Failed to close the game down when the visitors began to purr.
What should have been goal number two | Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
Jarrod Bowen (RW) – 7/10 – A nightmare for full-backs. Bowen never stopped running, chasing and stretching Alex Telles, giving the defender not a moment of peace.
Sebastien Haller (ST) – 5/10 – Did all the hard work to round Henderson, sit the defender down and shape to shoot. Unfortunately, he slipped and allowed the chance to go begging. He’ll be gutted.
Pablo Fornals (LW) – 5/10 – Came close twice in the first half – and possibly should have done better – with his header and toe-poke. Pretty quiet other than that.
Johnson comes on to replace Coufal. #WHUMUN 1-3 (84) pic.twitter.com/HeieAbd3EM
— West Ham United (@WestHam) December 5, 2020
Said Benrahma (LW) – 6/10
Manuel Lanzini (CM) – 5/10
Ben Johnson (RWB) – N/A
Panic stations | Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
Dean Henderson (GK) – 7/10 – Flapped at a couple of crosses early on. Set the equaliser in motion with a pinpoint clearance down the line. Great save to deny Cresswell from a free-kick.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka (RB) – 6/10 – Showed his best and worst by fluffing an interception, but raced back to slide in brilliantly. Typically unstylish going forward, and caught out of position at times at the back.
Victor Lindelof (CB) – 5/10 – All over the place. Bullied by Haller, often out of position and never settled into the game. Had little to do with Man Utd’s recovery, really.
Harry Maguire (CB) – 7/10 – Better than his partner. A touch more composed and brought the ball out of defence to drive his side forward.
Alex Telles (LB) – 7/10 – Overrun by West Ham’s overlapping full-backs, and had little answer for the crosses flying in from his wing in the first-half. Whipped in the cross to supply Greenwood’s strike. Different player after the equaliser.
An often frustrated figure | Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty Images
Scott McTominay (DM) – 6/10 – Arrived nicely and fizzed a shot into the side-netting at the start of the second half. Improved when the reinforcements were introduced.
Donny Van de Beek (CM) – 5/10 – Offered little of a link between midfield and attack, but may feel unfortunate to have been sacrificed at half-time. Being made to work for his starting spot.
Paul Pogba (CM) – 7/10 – Back in the team, but took a while to get into the game. Then – bang. He announced his return with an absolute screamer to spark Man Utd into action.
Not his day | Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty Images
Mason Greenwood (RW) – 7/10 – Kept extremely quiet by Masuaku and Cresswell in the first half, as Man Utd struggled to find their fluidity on the break. Took his chance in the second half, swivelling to fire home clinically. That’s what he does.
Edinson Cavani (ST) – 5/10 – There to sniff out chances and put away opportunities – you’ve got to create some for him first, though. Very isolated. Hooked at half-time.
Anthony Martial (LW) – 5/10 – Stung Fabianski’s fingertips with a fierce drive from the corner of the box, but couldn’t get into the game on the whole.
? The boss has made a double change at the break ?
Very few things in life can bring as much joy as watching a goalkeeper lumber up the pitch for a corner during the dying stages of the game with their team in desperate search of an equaliser.
The awkwardness of the person in gloves attempting to jostle for a header, and the hope and possibility that maybe, just maybe they could be responsible for delivering the dramatic, romantic, Hollywood ending. And then the corner fails to beat the first man and the goalkeeper has to scarper back to where they belong.
But for some goalkeepers, stretching their legs further up the field comes more naturally than others, with a selection of stoppers spending their youth as outfield players.
Let’s take a look at those goalkeepers.
Kelleher started life as a centre forward | Alex Livesey – Danehouse/Getty Images
The Liverpool stopper shone on his Champions League debut, pulling off a selection of fine saves – but it was his ability with the ball at his feet that Jurgen Klopp cited as the reason Kelleher had been preferred to Adrian.
This ball playing skill is unsurprising given the 22-year-old was an outfield player for much of his youth.
Kelleher started out a centre forward, playing at county level as a striker before switching scoring goals for keeping them out halfway through a season at Under 14 level after a request from his father. Dad’s know best.
Adrian started life as a striker | DeFodi Images/Getty Images
If an individual is to be back a backup goalkeeper to Alisson at Liverpool, it has now become compulsory that they spent part of their youth playing outfield. Why do you think Andy Lonergan was really released?
Adrian played as a striker for local Spanish side CD Altair until the age of 10. He temporarily stepped in between the sticks as a ‘stop-gap’ when his team didn’t have a goalkeeper. Said stop-gap has lasted 23 years.
Within a year of playing in goal, Adrian was scouted by Betis.
Hart doubled up as a goalkeeper and outfield player in his youth | Marc Atkins/Getty Images
If you’ve seen him in the Head and Shoulders adverts or playing cricket at the Tottenham training ground, you’ll already be aware the Joe Hart is a man of many talents.
Hart was first scouted for his local team Shrewsbury as a 10-year-old, but opted to continue playing Sunday league instead. He played outfield for his school and Sunday sides, and in goal for his county before donning the gloves permanently when he joined Shrewsbury as a 14-year-old. He had made the Shrews match day squad before his 16th birthday.
Imagine spending a chunk of your teenage years playing outfield up and down the pitches of Shropshire and still not being deemed to have good enough feet by Pep Guardiola.
De Gea played outfield for his school until the age of 14 | Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
The Manchester United number one has spent a large portion of his career being regarded as one of the finest goalkeepers in the world – but he started out further up the field.
His father Jose was a goalkeeper for Getafe, and after a year of playing outfield for his club side La Escuela De Futbol Atletico Casarrubuelos – who were affiliated with Atletico Madrid – De Gea had established that his favoured position was also between the sticks by the age of seven.
However, De Gea continued to play as a striker for his school team until the age of 14, with his former teacher citing the fact he frequently played outfield in futbol sala as the reason for his strong ball playing ability.
Courtois started out as a left back | Denis Doyle/Getty Images
Thibaut Courtois has guarded the goal for four separate league title winning sides – but it was not the first position he took up when he kicked off his footballing career.
Courtois started out as a left back for local side Bilzen V.V, and he was scouted for Genk while playing at fullback.
The Belgium number one first tried his hand in goal during a tournament at under nines level. He impressed, but continued to regularly play outfield until the age of 12 for fear of being restricted to just one position.
Pinto was originally a defensive midfielder | Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images
The former Barcelona number two scooped seven major trophies during his time in Catalonia while playing second fiddle to Victor Valdes – but he could have been playing second fiddle to Sergio Busquets instead had things panned out a little differently.
Pinto started out as a defensive midfielder before joining the Betis youth system in his teens.
His skills are not just limited to goalkeeping and shielding the back four; Pinto now works as a hip hop record producer and musician – a venture he entered into during his playing days.
Campos’ garms were as legendary as his goalkeeping ability | Stephen Dunn/Getty Images
Footballers like Jorge Campos don’t come along very often. Renowned for his self-designed multicoloured goalkeeper tops and tendency to get moved up front whenever his side were trailing, the 5ft 9in stopper was eccentric to say the least.
But Campos getting thrown up top was no David James, Stuart Pearce, Manchester City versus Middlesbrough absurdity. It was a genuine, intelligent tactic.
The Mexico centurion played as a striker throughout his teenage years before transitioning to a goalkeeper. However, when he found himself behind Adolfo Rios in the pecking order at Pumas as a 22-year-old, Campos asked to be deployed as a striker in order to get more minutes. He scored 14 goals in his first season up front!
Campos eventually won the number one spot but would still regularly be deployed as a striker whenever his side were chasing a game. He ended his career with 46 career goals. Imagine if Stuart Pearce had had Campos at his disposal. Manchester City wouldn’t have needed Sheikh Mansour’s millions.
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