Mario Balotelli

The San Siro trainer insists everybody is focused on beating Siena on Sunday to claim third place in Serie A and thanked the fans for their support of him this campaign

AC Milan boss Massimiliano Allegri has dismissed suggestions that falling out of the top three on the final day of the Serie A season would make the campaign a failure.

Failure to beat Siena on Sunday could see Fiorentina leapfrog them if their win their match, a scenario that would see the Rossoneri qualify for the Europa League instead of the Champions League.

“We have reached the end of the season, which has been rich with satisfying moments,” Allegri told reporters on Saturday. “We need to win in order to maintain third place, fundamental for the Champions League, but our season cannot have been a failure.

“Siena will not be depressed or upset, as they will be eager to get a great result and leave Serie A with their heads held high. The lads had a great week to prepare in the best way possible for this match.”

“We are two points ahead of Fiorentina and certainly have done more than them. It’s a shame that one of the two teams has to miss out on the Champions League,” continued Allegri.

“The Viola play good football, but this sport is about results. You can only win one or two games without deserving to, but then you build something great the way we did. In Italy there is this obsession with tactics, so you can even win when playing badly.

“The tension is high right now, but that is only right considering the match we are facing. Siena want to end the season well, they caused problems for Napoli last week and we must do well to keep the concentration on full for 90 minutes.

Allegri refused to divulge whether he would still be at San Siro next season amid rumours of him leaving to join Roma and simply stated that his future would be discussed with the campaign complete.

“Is this my last press conference for Milan? Yes…of the season,” the coach smiled. “Nobody is thinking about the future right now.

“I spoke to [club owner Silvio] Berlusconi yesterday, but unfortunately due to personal commitments he was unable to come today.

“I haven’t decided anything about the future yet, as tomorrow night is a very important game. After that, I will talk to the club, but at this moment the issue of the coach is at the bottom of our priorities. Right now we just need to win against Siena. After the season is over, we will talk about what’s going to happen.”

Mario Balotelli claimed this week that he would walk off if he was racially abused again by supporters following taunts from some Roma fans earlier in May, a sentiment that Allegri remained coy on, simply hinting that football organisations clamp down on discrimination.

“It would be best if Balotelli stayed on the field all the time, obviously,” he added. “The decision is down to the authorities.”

Allegri was tipped to be sacked as Milan coach in the first half of the season on numerous occasions as the club languished in midtable, however, their turnaround in form to be on the verge of Champions League qualification has been hugely impressive and Allegri extended his thanks to fans, players and the club who ensured he remained Rossoneri boss.

He added: “The fans have been laudable all season and created the right enthusiasm around us despite the initial diffidence and fear.

“On a personal note, before the game I have to thank the lads and the club, because they kept me even after difficult opening rounds, just like Cagliari had done.”

The striker believes he was treated unfairly during his time in the Premier League and insists his public persona was twisted by the media

AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli has revealed that he was “really happy” to leave England in January.

The 21-year-old spent three years in the Premier League with Manchester City, but he ended his spell at the club earlier this year after a much-publicised falling-out with then-manager Roberto Mancini.

However, Balotelli insists he did not have to think twice about returning to his homeland when handed the opportunity after admitting to have felt isolated during his time at the Etihad Stadium.

“Yes,” Balotelli told CNN when asked if he was unfairly treated in England.

“But I’m not here to talk about if I’m unfairly treated. I don’t care. I’m out from England, I’m happy that I’m out from England. That’s it.

“I’m really happy now. I have my family near me and my friends. I can relax and find my privacy, more than in England, where I was alone.”

The former Inter starlet blazed a trail of negative press while at City, with stories of car crashes, throwing a dart at a youth-team player and fireworks being set off in his bathroom to name but a few.

But while he remains a popular topic in the Italian media, Balotelli believes he is just a “normal guy” and must now endeavour to change the press perceptions of his character.

“The stuff that they said in the newspapers that I did in England in the past, few of those are real,” he added.

“The others are really just the imagination of the journalists. But when you create an icon of a person in that kind of way, after everyone thinks you are like this and if you lie about it, everyone just thinks that it is all true.

“So maybe that’s why they think I’m crazy and do crazy things? Sometimes I dream to be alone and that nobody would talk to me. A love of women I think is normal. Cars? I like fast cars and I don’t see the problem if I like fast cars.

“Some things have happened in my life, some stuff unfortunately happened and they went on the newspapers straight away. But I don’t see anything that would make people think that I’m bad or I’m crazy. I’m a normal guy.

“But I understand that football is really important and that everybody watches it. When you’re famous you have to do photos or autographs, especially for the kids.

“Of course, even if you’re the best in the world then some people don’t like you and some people like you. What is important for me is that the people who know me for real, know Mario how he really is.

“People who don’t know me, they read newspapers and they watch TV. Television is made to give a lot of opinions, so I can’t show the real Mario to everybody.”

Marcello Nicchi, president of the Italian Referee’s Association, says that the 22-year-old Milan star will be red carded if he leaves the pitch in protest

Marcello Nicchi, president of the Italian Referee’s Association (AIA) has warned Mario Balotelli that he will be receive a red card if he walks off a pitch due to racial abuse.

The AC Milan star claimed that he would have no problem in leaving the field if he were to encounter any more racist chanting in Serie A, as team-mate Kevin Prince Boateng did in January during a friendly game.

And while Nicchi accepts that the authorities need to do more to combat racism in the game, he says enforcement of rules will see Italy international punished.

“Everyone is free to express their own opinions but there are rules. Whoever leaves the field to make a protest, without warning the referee or without being substituted will be sent off,” he told SkyTG24.

“Less importance has to be given to this phenomenon as a media event and more importance from what can be done realistically.

“Be tough and uncompromising with the idiots who sing these shameful chants.”

Balotelli was subject to racist chants from Roma fans during Sunday’s 0-0 draw at San Siro, with the Giallorossi promptly fined €50,000 for their supporters’ conduct.

After a number of “parody” accounts were set up in his name over the years, the controversial AC Milan striker has finally officially taken to social networking for the first time

AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli has decided to join Twitter at last, the club have confirmed.

After years of “parody” accounts mocking the former Manchester City star’s eccentric lifestyle and personality, the Italy international has officially created an account on the social networking site under the username ‘@finallymario’.

“How do I use this?” the striker asked, before tweeting: “don’t belive [sic] anything u read unless is coming from me guys ok?”

The 22-year-old also drew a response from fellow superstar Neymar, who tweeted by way of greeting: “Brother, Twitter is crazy!”

Balotelli joined Milan in January and has scored 11 goals in 12 games in his four months in Serie A since departing the Etihad Stadium.

The capital club’s old coach claims the AC Milan striker was jeered because of his poor attitude as opposed to the colour of his skin

Former Roma coach Zdenek Zeman has claimed that recent racist chants made towards AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli during a clash with his former club were not down to the colour of his skin.

Play was stopped during the second half of the 0-0 match between the Serie A sides, with referee Gianluca Rocchi having to ask Giallorossi captain Francesco Totti to plead with the offending ultras personally before play could continue.

Roma were subsequently fined €50,00 for the chants, but Zeman has is adamant that his attitude on the pitch led to the jeers.

“They did not whistle Balotelli because of his skin colour, but his attitude.” he told RTL 102.5. “He can be controversial at times.

“The problem is not the colour of the skin, but the behaviour. If a player performs well, nothing happens.”

Roma’s final match of the Serie A season sees them face Napoli on the 19th of May, with the Coppa Italia final against Lazio scheduled for the following week.