Source: Daily_Mail
Mario Balotelli out for six weeks: Manchester City's £23m man undergoes knee surgery in Italy
Manchester City have been dealt a blow with the news that Mario Balotelli will be ruled out for up to a six weeks after undergoing knee surgery in Italy today.[LNB]The 23-year-old striker has flown to Pavia, near Milan to have an operation on a cartilage injury he sustained on his City debut against FC Timisoara in the Europa League on August 19.[LNB]Boss Roberto Mancini had been hoping that his £23million summer signing from Inter Milan would be fit in time for a Premier League bow against Blackburn Rovers on Saturday. [LNB] Waiting game: Roberto Mancini (right) will have to wait before handing Mario Balotelli his eagerly awaited League debut[LNB]However, Balotelli is now likely to be sidelined for another four weeks after treatment failed to solve the problem.[LNB]A club statement read: 'The Italian's injury is to the lateral meniscus, one of the two most crucial structures in the knee, and medical wisdom is to try and encourage the problem to heal without recourse to an operation.[LNB]Blow: Balotelli[LNB]'It was hoped that the symptoms would settle down but once Balotelli began to step up his recovery programme this week, it became clear that action would need to be taken. Anything is possible now that he doesn't play for Inter.'[LNB]Meanwhile, AC Milan are plotting to take Balotelli back to Italy before the 20-year-old striker has even made his Manchester City league debut.[LNB]Roberto Mancini raided his old club Inter Milan for Balotelli in a £23million deal only last month.[LNB]But AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani admits he wants to see one of Italy's most promising talents wearing red and black stripes at the San Siro.[LNB]Galliani feels his club growing in confidence, especially after signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic just a year after the Sweden striker left Inter for Barcelona.[LNB]The Ibrahimovic deal was masterminded by Mino Raiola, the agent who also represents Balotelli and who last week refused to rule out the City man moving on again next summer.[LNB]Now Galliani admits: 'We've done good business with Raiola. We haven't spoken about Balotelli, but I won't hide, especially now that it is not so important, that one day I'd like to see him in Rossoneri.'[LNB]Balotelli is a boyhood AC Milan supporter who last season riled Inter fans by being photographed wearing a shirt of their city rivals.[LNB] Manchester City's Balotelli to face racist Juventus fans againCity boys take over England! How the men from Manchester dominate the rest of the Premier League in Fabio Capello's teamMANCHESTER CITY FC
