A notable absentee for the trip to Saint-Etienne (suspension), Mario Balotelli remains an icon on the other side of the Alps, where his performances for the Rouge et Noir are followed extremely closely. A sought-after interviewee in the Italian media, the Nice number nine gave a long interview to La Gazzetta dello Sport this week. Extracts.

Having worked with a number of illustrious coaches in his career, Mario Balotelli knows what he's talking about when he praises Nice boss Lucien Favre, with whom he has been working since the summer: "He's a great coach… He is good tactically but also in the way he manages the dressing room." In a further sign of his esteem, Balotelli drew a parallel between the Swiss coach and José Mourinho, his boss at Inter Milan.

"LOTS OF GOOD GUYS AT LE GYM"

Visibly happy with how his adaptation at Nice has gone, the Italy international is full of praise for the atmosphere that prevails with the Rouge et Noir: "We have a good squad. I get along well with everyone. There are lots of good guys." And he is also impressed by the club's youngsters: "For me, the strongest are Cyprien and Plea. I have a lot of fun with them."

"IF WE WIN THE TITLE... »

While an entire nation waits for his recall to the national team, the Nice striker is well aware of the work that lies ahead of him if he is to receive a call-up from Giampiero Ventura: "I'm waiting for the right moment. The fact that he hasn't called on me shows that there are better players than me." Any eventual return to the Italy set-up would come as a result of his performances with Le Gym - performances that the Squadra Azzurra staff seem to be watching very closely. This is a source of motivation for a Super Mario who is determined to maintain his momentum and who has set himself a challenge should Le Gym continue to defy the form book: "There is still a long way to go, but if we win the title, I will pilot a helicopter over the Côte d’Azur."

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