ISL Side Kerala Blasters Snubs Mario Balotelli: Former Premier League and UEFA Champions League winner Mario Balotelli has been snubbed by Indian Super League (ISL) side Kerala Blasters in what is a shocking turn of events.
The Italian star was last signed with Turkish Super Lig side Adana Demirspor. Last season, he played 16 league games and scored seven goals. This is a far cry from his peak. Despite being just 34 years old, Balotelli has played for 12 clubs in his career. Currently, a free agent after his contract with Demirspor expired, he will have been looking for a new challenge.
ISL Side Kerala Blasters Snubs Mario Balotelli
And that challenge might have come in the form of football in India. During the recently concluded European summer transfer window, reports emerged that multi-time Indian Super League runner-up Kerala Blasters were interested in signing the former Italy international.
But the Times of India has now reported that the move is now off the table, and it is the Blasters who have stopped their pursuits of Mario. Rejecting a former superstar, however past their prime they may be, is not something that ISL sides do, with the likes of Robert Pires, Alessandro Del Piero, and Roberto Carlos having played in the league years if not decades after their prime.
But the Kerala-based franchise is reported to have two reasons behind not pursuing Mario Balotelli anymore. The first of those was that the team believed the move to be too outlandish and unrealistic. They believe that Balotelli might not be looking to play in the ISL and might be looking for some other move.
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The second reason is understood to be the player’s past controversies. It is no secret that the man once called “Super Mario” is one of the most controversial footballers ever, and all of that is because of his antics. While playing for Manchester City in 2011, he set his house on fire with fireworks. In another incident, he claimed that he was an AC Milan fan while playing for archrivals Inter.
Balotelli is a manager’s nightmare, from falling out with multiple managers to on-field clothing antics. Earlier this year, he set off another fireworks incident when he casually threw some in the team locker room.
With that being said, it is somewhat understandable that the Kerala Blasters refused to sign Mario Balotelli. However, some may say that he might have been a risk worth taking.
Having been out with an injury for much of last season, Balotelli, at his age, might be looking for one last big money move before he drastically starts slowing down on the pitch, as all footballers do with age.
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