​Mario Balotelli has helped position Inter as the team to beat in Serie A next season, but the striker has also named Roma as his bold outsider who could surprise and gatecrash the title race. In comments reported by Sport Mediaset and cited by TuttoMercatoWeb, Balotelli, currently plying his trade with Al-Ittifaq in Dubai, predicted that Inter will remain at the summit of Italian football, while he highlighted Roma as a potential challenger capable of upsetting the established order.
When asked whether Napoli, Milan, and Juventus could be real contenders, Balotelli responded affirmatively and added a curveball: Roma. He insisted that Inter are still the team to beat, a verdict that resonates with his admiration for former Inter teammate Cristian Chivu, who is now part of the San Siro coaching setup. Balotelli praised Chivu for his mental sharpness and tactical intelligence, noting that even as a player Chivu was always switched on and had the instincts of a coach on the pitch. The two-time Champions League winner with Inter alongside Balotelli in 2010, who lifted the treble that year, has nothing but respect for Chivu’s ongoing influence behind the scenes.
Balotelli also opened up about a transfer saga that did not come to fruition. Reflecting on his career moves after leaving Manchester City, Balotelli said Milan was a decisive turning point for him and dismissed regrets about passing on the Juventus opportunity. He acknowledged the strength of that Juventus side at the time, underscoring that choices shape a player’s career, but he carries no remorse for the path he took.
In addition to club-level reflections, Balotelli offered generous notes on Massimiliano Allegri as a coach. Allegri has returned to Napoli with renewed expectations, and Balotelli indicated that criticism directed at him in recent times has been excessive. He recalled his time with Allegri at Milan, expressing belief in the coach’s qualities and suggesting that if Allegri remains true to the man he was, he can still achieve significant results in the modern game.
Balotelli also touched on the national team’s current woes, delivering a somber assessment that underscores the broader context of Italian football. He remains Italy’s last World Cup scorer, a distinction he achieved in 2014, a moment that now sits in stark contrast to Italy’s absence from a third consecutive major tournament this summer. Balotelli offered no pride in that statistic; rather, he described it as a sad reality and a reflection of too many years without a major international moment for the Azzurri. He emphasised that it is not something to celebrate, but rather a reminder of the work still required to bring Italy back into the world’s footballing elite.