Football Breaking News: Mario Balotelli out for six weeks due to injury
The newly signed 22.5 million pound teenager, Mario Balotelli would not be featuring for Manchester City for six weeks. Balotelli played a single match for City in the Europa league qualifier against FC Timisoara last month.
The player is yet to make his debut in the Premier League, and although manager Roberto Mancini claimed that the injury suffered was not serious, constant tests have shown that Balotelli would have to undergo corrective surgery to repair the damage done to his lateral meniscus.
The Italian has thus returned to Milan for the surgery, owing to his injury suffered on Aug 19th in the stoppage time of the match in Romania. Balotelli managed to score the winning goal against FC Timisoara. Balotelli came on as a second-half substitute and was beautifully setup Emmanuel Adebayor. The player had to be helped off the pitch and had to undergo some lengthy treatment. The club thought that resting the player may well help Balotelli recover fully but having played only 33 minutes, the decision was reached that the former Milan man would have to go undergo surgery.
The surgery will see the player out of action till mid-October and perhaps Manchester City’s away trip to Blackpool on Oct 17 is being considered a potential comeback date for the 20-year-old. However, the 22.5 million will have to sit out in the Chelsea clash at City of Manchester Stadium in late September, as well as the Europa League clash with Italian Giants Juventus five days later. Balotelli is the newest addition to City’s new signings, going through a difficult lifestyle in England.
German defender, Jerome Boateng is yet to make his City debut since his 10.5 million pound transfer from Hamburg this summer, following his knee-injury suffered from the air stewardess’s trolley. Aleksandar Kolarov is also expected to face another month on the sidelines, following his ankle surgery. Newly-signed David Silva, who arrived at the Eastlands in a 24 million pound deal, has yet to find a first team spot. England midfielders Adam Johnson and Shaun Wright Phillips have been chosen above him.
One thing that they are proud is their satisfaction in the goalkeeping department. English goalkeeper Joe Hart has managed some impressive performances with the national team as well as with City. Hart conceded his first goal for City in their first loss of the season, at the hands of Sunderland. Darren Bent found the back of the net owing to a penalty.
With City, Hart still has three years remaining on his 28000 pounds-a-month contract with the Eastlands, but many expect City rewarding the player with a new and improved contract.
Manchester City next play Blackburn Rovers at home, and would be looking for a win to be firm in the Premier League title race. Having suffered their first loss of the season, the nearly 200 million pound team would be looking to prove their worth.
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