Allegri: Balotelli needs to shut up

Posted Monday, September 23, 2013 by YAHOO Sport

Massimliano Allegri has warned Mario Balotelli to keep his mouth shut after the striker was sent off after the final whistle in AC Milan’s 2-1 defeat to Napoli.

The Italian striker missed from the penalty spot for the first time in his professional career and he compounded a bad day at the office by receiving a second booking for dissent, much to the frustration of his coach.

“When games are over it’s better to stay quiet and I am against hysteria,” Allegri told Sky Sport Italia.

“It’s best to shut up and leave rather than stay there arguing with the referee, as it’s not going to change anything. Balotelli needs to improve that.”

The ex-Manchester City forward did get on the scoresheet with a smart finish late on and despite the lack of maturity at full-time, the Milan boss was still pleased with his striker’s performance on the pitch.

“He received a fair few kicks, including many from behind, though he overall had a good game.”

The result means the San Siro side has only picked up four points from its opening four Serie A games, but Allegri is refusing to panic just yet and is confident of turning things around.

“We must try to pick up as many points as possible now. Napoli are one of the candidates for the Scudetto an we played on a par with them overall despite missing many key players.

“I already have ideas on how to fix things, but I need some of the players to recover from injuries first.”