Image:Mario Balotelli: Will miss Italy's games against Bulgaria and Malta
Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli faces a short lay-off as he is set to undergo minor eye surgery.
Striker will miss Italy's World Cup qualifiers this month
Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli faces a short lay-off as he is set to undergo minor eye surgery.
The Italy international wears contact lenses while playing but has recently experienced problems with them due to conjunctivitis.
Although the matter is not serious, the 22-year-old will miss the Azzurri's World Cup qualifiers against Bulgaria and Malta this month.
City first-team coach David Platt said: "I think he is okay, it is just a normal procedure. It is just a minor operation.
"The contact lenses are the issue when he gets it, conjunctivitis. He can't get his contact lenses in, so he can't really play."
Balotelli was an unused substitute against QPR on Saturday and some reports had suggested the forward could now be out of action for a month. But Platt was unaware of those claims.
"I don't know where that has come from," he added.
