Mario Balotelli has his back in explosive fashion at derogatory comments made by Giorgio Chiellini after the Juventus captain recently claimed he “deserved a slap” while on Confederations Cup duty in 2013.
The veteran defender has stirred controversy ahead of the release of his autobiography – with former Manchester City and Inter Milan striker Balotelli firmly in the firing line due to his antics playing for Italy.
But Balotelli has hit back at Chiellini, accusing the 35-year-old of not behaving “like a real man” as their unsavoury war of words continues to rage on.
Chiellini has pulled no punches when describing his feelings for a number of his former team-mates, and shed light on Balotelli’s behaviour at the 2013 Confederations Cup.
Italy recorded a third-place finish at the tournament, having lost to Spain in the semi-finals but won the third-place play-off on penalties against Uruguay.
“I was really let down by two players and I confirm everything I wrote in the book,” Chellini said.
“Balotelli is a negative person, with no respect for the group. During the Confederations Cup against Brazil in 2013, he didn’t lend a helping hand for anything, he really did deserve a slap,” Chellini added.
“Some people thought he was among the top five strikers in the world, but I never even considered him in the top 10 or 20.”
Balotelli has responded to the criticism on Instagram, however, and even included Chiellini’s account handle in the latest chapter of their newfound feud.
“At least I have the sincerity and courage to say things face to face,” Balotelli said.
“You’ve had plenty of opportunities since 2013 to behave like a real man but you didn’t – who knows what you will say one day about your current team-mates.”
“Strange captain. If that’s what it means to be a champion, I prefer not to be – and I never disrespected the blue jersey,” Balotelli added.
Chiellini also angered former Juventus team-mate Felipe Melo after describing the combative midfielder as “the worst of the worst”.
Melo protested his innocence after Chiellini had alluded to several flashpoints during his career, and retorted with his own extraordinary rant.
“I’d like to know what incidents he was referring to. When I was in Turin, I never lacked respect for anyone: teammates, directors or Juventus in general,” Melo said.
“At this point, though, I have no respect for him. And I never will have.”
“He says Balotelli should be slapped and I am the worst of the worst who always risked sparking a brawl? Well, he was always a coward who’d wet himself”
“Besides, it’s too easy to be nasty about someone in a book. Perhaps ‘this defender’ is still angry with me, because when I went to Galatasaray, we gave his Juve some “slaps” and knocked them out of the Champions League.”
“Or that Inter won everything and I am an Interest,” Melo added.
“This is what Chiellini is like, he always acts as if he’s the greatest… I am also reminded that we beat Italy 3-0 in the 2009 Confederations Cup, won eventually by Brazil. Perhaps he’s still bitter about that too, seeing as he’s won nothing at international level with Italy.”
