Mario Balotelli has pulled out of Italy’s friendly with San Marino tomorrow with back pain.

The Milan striker has joined fellow forward Stephan El Shaarawy on the sidelines despite chief medical officer Enrico Castellacci this week describing a small muscle strain in the player’s back as “nothing to worry about”.

It seems, however, that the decision to withdraw was taken with next week’s World Cup qualifier against the Czech Republic in mind.

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