Football news

Mario Balotelli will not make an immediate return to Serie A this summer.

The Italian striker moved to Man. City from Inter before the season and despite making headlines on and off the pitch at Eastlands, he is committed to the English club.

“For the time being, I am happy in England,” Balotelli said.

Balotelli’s agent Mino Raiola is confident his client’s long-term future is at City, where he is under contract until June 2015.

“I’m 200 per cent certain that Balotelli will remain at Manchester City,” Raiola said.

Aguero wants to leave Atletico

Sergio Aguero has announced he wants to leave Atletico Madrid.

“I said long ago that when I wanted to go, I would say so publicly. And the time has come. So, I have kept my word and here I am,” the 22-year-old striker said.

“I find it hard to leave Atletico. It hurts me and saddens me. But I don’t find it hard to explain why I am doing it. I’ve thought about it for a long time and I’m convinced that I must be true to myself. I think that I should not rule out the possibility to keep learning.”

Aguero, who is married to Diego Maradona’s daughter, moved to Spain from Independiente of Argentina in 2006.

No new deal for Montolivo

Fiorentina captain Riccardo Montolivo said he will not sign a new contract.

The Italy midfielder has one year left to run on his current deal and if La Viola don’t sell him this summer, he will be able to leave on a free transfer in 12 months.

“I’ve decided not to extend my relationship with Fiorentina and I’ll put myself at the club’s service to find the right solution,” he said.

“I don’t have a commitment with another club, for me Fiorentina has always been the priority. I love this shirt but the doubts that caused me to stop and think have not been cleared up.

“It’s not a question of money, it’s just that something has changed over the last few years.”

Fergie can outwit Barca – Beckham

Manchester United can upset the odds and beat Barcelona in Saturday’s Champions League final because of manager Alex Ferguson, claims David Beckham.

Barcelona are for many one of the greatest teams in the history of the sport but Beckham believes if anyone can bring them down to earth it is the wily 69-year-old Ferguson.

“He can’t get any better than what he is – he has proved year after year, team after team, player after player what an amazing manager he is,” said Beckham.

“Everyone is talking about Barcelona as one of the best club sides and, of course, they are. But if anyone can beat Barcelona at their peak, then Alex Ferguson knows how to do that. I hope they go and do that.”

No Turkey move for Rafa Benitez

The agent of Rafa Benitez has denied reports his client has held talks with Turkey about taking over the national team from coach Guus Hiddink who is reportedly Chelsea’s main candidate to replace Carlo Ancelotti, who was sacked on Sunday.

When asked if former Inter manager Benitez had been approached by Turkey, his agent Manuel Garcia Quilon said: “Absolutely not.

“He has not been approached by Turkey and hence, he has not held talks regarding coaching the national team.”

Benitez has been out of work since being dismissed by Inter in December, just six months after joining the Serie A club.

Reja confirms Lazio stay

Lazio coach Edy Reja confirmed he will be staying at the club next season.

Reja has just guided Lazio to fifth place, their best finish in four years – although in 2007 they finished third above Milan and Fiorentina, it was due to the latter two teams’ match-fixing point deductions following the Calciopoli affair, while Juventus were playing in Serie B as their punishment.

“I’m staying at Lazio next season,” Reja told the club’s official radio station.

“I’ve spoken to the president (Claudio Lotito) and as soon as he’s back from business elsewhere we’ll sit down and plan what we need to do.”

Serbia compile hooligan database

Serbian police have set up a database to monitor hooligans after UEFA threatened to exclude Serb clubs from European competition because of their violent fans.

The names of several hundred of Serbia’s most violent supporters are already in the database, police official Aleksandar Gargenta said.

The interior ministry is due to propose new legislation that would allow the authorities to confiscate the passports of supporters convicted of committing violent acts for certain periods to keep them from travelling abroad to matches.

In February, UEFA president Michel Platini warned that Serbian teams and the national team could be excluded from all competitions if their supporters continued to cause trouble.