Among the Genoa players who slowly showed up (ahead of schedule) at the Pegli sports center after the news of the change of coach by the rossoblù team, there is also Mario Balotelli. The Italian striker will certainly have been among the most surprised to have learned that the Ligurian club’s choice of Gilardino’s replacement fell on Patrick Vieira.
Yes, because between Balotelli and Vieira there is a recent past made up of tense stories and pranksnot even too far away or in a roundabout way. Their tension is a story that has been going on for practically a decade. The beginning of the lack of chemistry dates back to the 2010/11 season, Vieira’s last as a footballer, who had the opportunity to share the Manchester City dressing room with the Italian striker, observing his over-the-top episodes firsthand. And this perhaps also had an impact on the subsequent cohabitation between the two, in Nice.
There is no shortage of incriminated episodes during the period on the French Riviera. Vieira led the Rossoneri of France from the summer of 2018 until the first part of the 2020/21 season, being sacked in December. An experience of over two years in which he once again crossed paths with Balotelli (in the team from 2016 to 2019). It also effectively marked the end, due to more than one moment of misunderstanding. In December 2018, tension exploded during a Ligue 1 match against Guingamp: Vieira replaced Balotelli, who publicly took it out on him. An argument ensued, complete with a harsh statement from the coach in the post-match press conference, in which he even went so far as to say that “his mentality is not suited to a collective sport like football”. A few weeks later Balotelli would have left Nice, now he will have to meet again that Vieira who played a leading actor role. And he also mentioned a few months ago in an interview: “I would never have left Nice if it hadn’t been for him.” The premises lead to doubts about the possible cohabitation between two people, even before being professionals, with a strong character.