Future of Argentina’s Jaguares in doubt
ROME: Mario Balotelli’s ill-fated stint at hometown club Brescia appears to be coming to an end, with local media reporting on Saturday his contract will be terminated after repeated absences from training.
A letter notifying Balotelli of his release was sent to the Italy international by the club’s lawyers on Friday, according to Sky Sport, Gazzetta dello Sport and the AGI news agency.
Balotelli has reportedly missed a number of sessions since Serie A teams returned to training at the start of May. Players initially worked out individually before clearance was given for them to resume team training.
The 29-year-old said this week he had been sick andwouldsendtheclubmedicalcertificatesasproof.
Brescia coach Diego Lopez said on Friday he was “disappointed” with the forward’s attitude.
“Mario is training separately because his teammates have done work that he hasn’t,” Lopez told Corriere della Sera.
“The (individual) training sessions were optional, okay. But the group took one road and he took another. On Zoom, during the quarantine, we didn’t see him. Even if he says he feels good, he’s not at the level of his team-mates.”
Last month, Brescia president said Balotelli’s
“mind is no longer” with the club, who were bottom of the table and nine points from safety when the season was halted due to the coronavirus pandemic in March.
“I love him and I was hoping that the air of home and the desire to get back into the national team would do him good. We are all disappointed,” said Massimo Cellino.
Balotelli, who has 36 caps for Italy, joined Brescia last summer but has scored just five times in 19 matches for the club. A is set to allow five substitutions per team when it resumes on June 20 following the novel coronavirus stoppage after the temporary rule change was approved by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) on Friday.
BUENOS AIRES: Less than a year since reaching the Super Rugby final, Argentina’s Jaguares face the risk of collapsing due to the coronavirus pandemic.
It was 11 months ago that the only Argentine side playing in the southern hemisphere’s premier club competition fell at the final hurdle, beaten 19-3 by perennial winners Crusaders in New Zealand.
But with the 2020 season now abandoned due to travel restrictions imposed by the global virus outbreak, the Jaguares’ very existence is in doubt.
While New Zealand and Australia are preparing to launch domestic Super Rugby tournaments after many of their coronavirus containment measures were lifted, Argentina is still under lockdown.
And Jaguares don’t have the possibility of taking part in a domestic competition even when the lockdown is eventually lifted.
Their only hope of competition would be to join an eventual South African domestic competition but that would undoubtedly prove costly, particularly given the reduced income from being forced to play in empty stadiums.
“The New Zealand teams will play in New Zealand, the Australians in Australia and the South Africans in South Africa,” said Jaguares captain Jeronimo de la Fuente “The Jaguares are left a bit isolated and we’re waiting to see if we get invited to another competition. It would be difficult but it’s also a possibility.” Argentina’s rugby union ( UAR) has even paved the way for Jaguares players to join foreign sides to allow them to maintain their match fitness.
Wing Emiliano Boffelli has received offers from Paris and English clubs, as have hooker Julian Montoya and center De la Fuente, while Stade Francais are also rumored to be interested in second row Guido Petti.
“I’m going to wait until the last minute to see what decision to take because I’m counting on” the Jaguares, said De la Fuente.