Mario Balotelli has sparked rumours he may be on his way out of the San Siro by tweeting ‘this is the end’ just hours after missing a penalty in AC Milan’s 1-1 draw with Genoa.
The controversial striker didn’t expand on the message. He tweeted at about 5am local time on his account @finallymario
However, six hours later he sent out another tweet in Italian which read: ‘Forza Milan comunque e sempre.’ Which translates as ‘Go on Milan, no matter how and forever’.
Italian newspaper Gezzetta dello Sport suggested that Balotelli could have been referring to a possible move in the January transfer window or that Milan’s coach, Massimilliano Alegri, could be on his way out.
Balotelli, who is famous for being an ace from the penalty spot, saw his kick saved by Mattia Perin in the 36th minute against Genoa. Balotelli famously wore a ‘Why always me?’ t-shirt during his days with Manchester City, which sparked a series of discussions about Balotelli.
Balotelli, it could be argued, was his own worst enemy during his spell in Manchester. Giving the press plenty of ammunition to take aim at the Italian.
He has been relatively quiet since joining Milan, bar his incident in the toilet of a train where he was caught smoking. He was also recently banned for three games for an angry outburst at a referee.
The pressure of playing for a struggling team appears to be showing its toll on Mario, having missed two penalties this season after being famous for a perfect record from the spot.
Milan have failed to win in their last seven games in all competitions and are 11th in Serie A. Milan are only five points ahead of Sampdoria in the relegation zone.
‘Balotelli’s missed penalty was the key,’ said chief executive Adriano Galliani. ‘If we had scored we would have won.
‘They didn’t have a shot on target all night and they definitely wouldn’t have had with us in the lead and with 10 men on the pitch.
‘We have to move forward now. The positive note was Kaka’s incredible performance. That’s life. It just goes like that sometimes.’
Kaka scored Milan’s first and only goal in the fourth minute.
‘We have to give something extra at the moment. There’s a lot of respect towards the fans and we definitely have to get out of this situation,’ said the phlegmatic coach.
‘We’re suffering a lot as a result of our league position and we have to get out of it soon. We’re all disappointed.’
‘There’s a lot of work to do and you need patience. The fans have to stay behind us and together we’ll get out of this situation.
‘Today Kaka played as an all-round midfielder. He adds value to everyone’s play. He’s a really great player and an incredible athlete for what he gives to the team.’
By Rory Whitelaw
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