The Roar
The Roar

Advertisement

How Balotelli and Falcao resurrected their careers

29th December, 2016
Advertisement
Mario Balotelli has resurrected his career in France. (Photo: AAP images).
Roar Rookie
29th December, 2016
0
2122 Reads

This time last year, Ligue 1 was being laid to waste by the supreme powers of the demi-god that is Zlatan Ibrahimovic and his talented teammates from Paris, on their way to winning a record points haul and a fourth straight league title.

This was a real statement of intent and a potentially pessimistic glimpse of French league football’s future.

What a difference a year makes.

In that time, a season has finished and a new one has begun, and Paris, shorn of their talismanic Swedish figurehead, languishes in third, while two teams from the south of France (OGC Nice and AS Monaco) rally behind their own star strikers – Mario Balotelli and Radamel Falcao.

That these two players are now key men for their respective teams comes as a monumental surprise – not least because of their form over the past season or two.

What cannot be denied is the vast improvement of both forwards, and their regained superstar status.

Balotelli
Balotelli’s resurgence occurring in a place named Nice is ironic, taking into account his bad-boy status, but moving to the Riviera-based club has proved a masterstroke for both player and club.

‘Balo’ has found the back of the net regularly, scoring a remarkable ten times in 14 appearances domestically and in Europe, a stark contrast from his disastrous record for previous club Liverpool.

Advertisement

Once earmarked for greatness, early success had Balotelli destined for superstardom, with key roles played in titles won at Inter Milan and Manchester City, famously providing the assist for Sergio Aguero’s title-winning goal of 2011-12. But, as is often the case, off-field problems and a notoriously bad attitude derailed his progress. Former Inter manager Jose Mourinho described him as “unmanageable”, and he was frequently called “crazy” by title-winning City manager Roberto Mancini.

His off-field antics and a loss of form on it resulted in Balotelli’s darkest hours as a footballer last season; frozen out by Brendan Rodgers at Liverpool, and failing to make any impact on loan at AC Milan, ‘Super Mario’ threatened to be another tragic case of a talent gone to waste. His prediction of a future Ballon d’Or was seen as a joke.

In what appeared his last chance to fulfil his considerable talent, Nice took Balotelli on a free. Such was his infamy at this point that, despite the price tag, Nice were thought to be taking a large gamble.

But how it has paid off!

Replacing Hatem Ben Arfa (himself a free transfer and a sizeable gamble by Nice) as the key player, Balotelli has lit up Ligue 1, with Nice sitting atop the ladder. Both player and team have benefitted from the move, with Nice possessing a figurehead to lead their assault on the title, and Balotelli, a big fish in a small pond, set loose on the defences of France.

Who knows, with time and consistency, we might just see Balotelli fulfil his prediction and become the world’s best.

Falcao
Colombian striker Radamel Falcao’s demise was purely on-field, with a series of injuries and poor career choices leaving the ‘El Tigre’ as useful as a newborn kitten.

Advertisement

Europe’s most feared striker at Atletico Madrid, a lucrative move to newly rich AS Monaco in 2013-14 was a suspect move for a player in his prime. Once at his new club, Falcao began to duly pay back his 60 million euro transfer fee with crucial goals, before a season-ending injury cut short not only his debut campaign but his attendance at that summer’s World Cup, where he was to lead Colombia as their talisman alongside club teammate James Rodriguez.

The 2014-15 was when it really started to go downhill. Having only just recovered from injury, Falcao was signed on loan by Manchester United in a spell that proved to be a disaster, as the effects of injury and the demands of a new league proved to be too much.

The following season Falcao signed for English champions Chelsea, with manager Jose Mourinho claiming he could get the best out of the faulty forward.

However, by mid-season, Mourinho was gone and Falcao left stranded, having scored a solitary goal and an unsure presence even on the bench, a far cry from his rampages just a few seasons earlier.

But, as with Balotelli, 2016-17 has proved a turning point. Unwanted and unloved, Monaco decided to keep their captain rather than let him go for a huge loss, and with proper rehabilitation and a solid team behind him, Falcao has exploded back to his confident self.

Netting 15 goals in 18 appearances, including crucial strikes in Europe as Monaco topped their Champions League group, Falcao is back on track as the top scorer in a team that has scored more goals than any other in Europe’s top five leagues.

El Tigre still has some way to go to reclaim his shattered reputation, but the signs look good for the veteran striker.

Advertisement

With Monaco and Nice looking the participants in a two-horse race for the Ligue 1 title, this narrative of rebirth will have the ultimate ending for Balotelli or Falcao.

Whatever happens, both men have successfully resurrected their careers – something no one would have bet on this time last year.

close