Football
Ben Gladwell, Italy correspondent 7y

Mario Balotelli Italy recall put in doubt by national team manager

Italy's team manager Gabriele Oriali has said "it's best if we talk about [Mario Balotelli] as little as possible, for everybody's sake," after the Nice striker was overlooked for a two-day training camp with the Squadra Azzurra this week.

Twenty two fringe players -- mainly consisting of youngsters -- were selected by Italy coach Giampiero Ventura for a get-together in Coverciano less than a month before he picks his next squad for a World Cup qualifier with Albania and international friendly against Netherlands.

Sassuolo's Domenico Berardi and AC Milan's Gianluca Lapadula were included, but Balotelli's name did not feature on the list. After his latest red card for Nice at the weekend, Oriali says it is best that his name is not mentioned.

"I've spoken to Balotelli and if he gets called up depends on his performances," La Repubblica reports Oriali as saying. "I believe, however, that it's best if we talk about him as little as possible, for everybody's sake.

"There's no appointment in the agenda with him at the moment."

Ventura previously said he has not closed the door on the 26-year-old, but his reluctance to call him up for this training camp suggests he is not high on his list of priorities.

The former Manchester City and Liverpool forward's red card at the weekend came after Ventura had already named his squad and his absence from that list may at least have saved the Italy coach from having to enforce disciplinary rules which Oriali says are still important.

"Discipline is part of the rules everybody who comes through the gates of Coverciano has to adhere to," Oriali said. "That means you must be professional and serious. You need to have rules that have to be respected, regardless of whether you are called up or not or whether you are one of the oldest or the youngest in the group.

"The rules have not changed compared to the past."

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