Although Daniel Sturridge is expected to be fit for Liverpool’s meeting with Crystal Palace next Saturday, Reds boss Brendan Rodgers has been handed another injured striker to worry about with news breaking earlier today that Mario Balotelli has been sent home from training with the national squad after picking up a hamstring injury.
The ex-AC Milan man, who returned to the national set-up for the first time since a disastrous World Cup campaign saw the Azzurri eliminated in the group stages, was expected to make the bench when Antonio Conte’s side faced off against Croatia tomorrow, but Balotelli is now Merseyside bound with the Liverpool medical team charged with the task of assessing the damage.
A statement from the Italian football association said that the 24-year old was suffering from a “hamstring strain” and “mild groin” pain. “Mario had this inflammation in the groin and couldn’t train,” the Italy boss told the press ahead of tomorrow’s match. “So it was useless to keep him with us. Yes, I liked him, like the others I hadn’t seen before.”
Despite his poor run of form, which has seen him score only twice since arriving at Anfield in the closing stages of the transfer window, it was hoped that a recall to the national set-up would help get the 24-year old, who looks to be suffering from a severe lack of confidence, up and firing once again, but it looks like all it did was send him to the treatment table — at least Reds fans are used to that.
