FIGC President Carlo Tavecchio told media “there are other players” in the Italy squad and not just Mario Balotelli.
FIGC President Carlo Tavecchio told media “there are other players” in the Italy squad and not just Mario Balotelli.
Coach Antonio Conte also asked for questions to stop about the Liverpool striker, who was sent home from the training camp due to a groin problem ahead of tonight’s Euro 2016 qualifier with Croatia.
“There are other players and not just Balotelli,” Tavecchio told news agency Ansa.
“He is a player to be considered on a par with the other 27-28 in the Nazionale. He attempted to recover, but unfortunately is not in good shape.”
This was the first time Balotelli had been called up since the World Cup, so why did Conte choose now to pick the misfiring Liverpool forward?
“When he made the call-ups, Conte said he wanted to test him out. Then there was this hip problem and he returned to his country.”
Tavecchio presumably meant ‘home’ to Liverpool rather than to ‘his country.’
The FIGC President was famously suspended by UEFA for racist comments he made during an improvised speech.
That wasn't his only gaffe today, as Tavecchio also told reporters Italy had to rebuild after "Venezuela" – referring to their World Cup defeats against Costa Rica and Uruguay.