Legendary Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon wants Nice striker Mario Balotelli to make a return in the Azzurri squad. The four-time FIFA World Cup winners are facing the darkest hour in football. The Azzurri failed to secure a place in the last 32 of the FIFA World Cup Russia after witnessing a shocking defeat against Sweden. Buffon, who announced that he is ready to revoke his retirement clause following Italy’s failure in the World Cup qualifying campaign, backed Super Mario to feature in the Italian national side.
Buffon urged the Italian board selectors to recall Mario Balotelli back in the Azzurri squad. Balotelli has hit the purple patch with OGC Nice after spectacular back to back seasons with the French club. The former AC Milan and Liverpool striker has scored 35 goals in 53 games since his arrival from Premier League giants Liverpool. Embracing the French league (Ligue 1) from Serie A and Premier League, Balotelli, a misfit in Liverpool was back into scoring ways in OGC Nice outfit in no time.
Speaking about Super Mario, the legendary goalkeeper of Juventus said that he will be happy if Super Mario returns to the national side. “Regardless of whether I’d see him on the pitch again or not, I’d be happy if Mario returned to Italy,” Buffon was quoted as saying by Italian magazine Tiki Taka. “He’d have the chance to prove that he has 100 per cent matured and that he has what we saw as a lad or an unfinished player – i.e the ability to be a champion, to show that consistently. That has to be Mario’s challenge, from now until he stops playing,” Buffon added. 


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