Balotelli gets Italy recall from new coach Mancini

New Italy coach Roberto Mancini on Saturday recalled Nice striker Mario Balotelli for three friendlies against Saudi Arabia, France and the Netherlands.

The 27-year-old Balotelli has scored 13 goals in 33 appearances for the Azzurri but has not played international football since Italy’s humiliating group-stage exit from the 2014 World Cup.

Balotelli was last called up by coach Antonio Conte in November 2014 but did not play because of injury.

He has now been given another chance by Mancini, who coached him at both Inter Milan and Manchester City.

Balotelli has resurrected his career since joining Nice in 2016 after less successful spells with AC Milan and Liverpool, scoring 26 goals from 37 appearances in all competitions this season.

As a youngster, Balotelli was part of the Inter side coached by Jose Mourinho, now of Manchester United, that won the Champions League in 2010.

He also won three Serie A titles with Inter before switching to Manchester City and helping them claim the Premier League crown in 2012.

Mancini was appointed last Monday, six months after Gian Piero Ventura was sacked following the four-time world champions’ failure to qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 1958.

Mancini takes charge of his first game against the Saudis in St Gallen, Switzerland on May 28.

The Italians will play further friendlies against France in Nice on June 1 and the Netherlands, who also failed to reach the World Cup, three days later in Turin.

Mancini named an initial 30-man squad that will meet for the first time at the Italian national team’s training camp at Coverciano near Florence on May 23.

Five players have been given a first call-up — Chelsea left-back Emerson Palmieri, Torino midfielder Daniele Baselli, Crotone midfielder Rolando Mandragora, Sassuolo striker Domenico Berardi and Atalanta defender Mattia Caldara.

Italy squad

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Donnarumma (AC Milan), Mattia Perin (Genoa), Salvatore Sirigu (Torino);

Defenders: Leonardo Bonucci (AC Milan), Mattia Caldara (Atalanta), Domenico Criscito (Zenit St Petersburg/RUS), Danilo D’Ambrosio (Inter Milan), Mattia De Sciglio (Juventus), Emerson Palmieri Dos Santos (Chelsea/ENG), Alessio Romagnoli (AC Milan), Daniele Rugani (Juventus), Davide Zappacosta (Chelsea/ENG)

Midfielders: Daniele Baselli (Torino), Giacomo Bonaventura (Milan), Bryan Cristante (Atalanta), Alessandro Florenzi (Roma), Jorginho (Napoli), Rolando Mandragora (Crotone), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Lorenzo Pellegrini (Roma)

Forwards: Mario Balotelli (Nice/FRA), Andrea Belotti (Torino), Domenico Berardi (Sassuolo), Federico Bernardeschi (Juventus), Federico Chiesa (Fiorentina), Ciro Immobile (Lazio), Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli), Matteo Politano (Sassuolo), Simone Verdi (Bologna), Simone Zaza (Valencia/ESP)