By Giscard Gourizro Last updated: 6th September 2008
Balotelli: Not yet ready
Italian coach Marcello Lippi has confirmed he does not yet feel teenage striking sensation Mario Balotelli is ready to step up to the full national team.
18-year old Balotelli, nicknamed Super Mario, exploded onto the Serie A scene last year with some vital Scudetto goals for Inter and further enhanced his growing reputation with a strike in the 1-1 Under 21 game with Greece on Friday.
"Is he ready for the national team? In my view no," Lippi told Raisport.
"We live in an era where everything is rushed too quickly; in fact, we'd do well to stop calling him 'Super Mario' or 'phenomenon' as we risk ruining the player."
So determined is Balotelli to play for the Azzuri he has rejected claims from Inter team-mate and Ghana international Sulley Muntary that he should have committed himself to Ghana, birth place of his immigrant parents.
"I am Italian, I feel Italian and I will always defend Italian colours. I love my parents, however it never came into my head to represent Ghana," he said.
Italy begin their defence of the World Cup against Cyprus on Saturday.

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| Time | Result |
|---|---|
| Sunday 31st May | |
| Italy Serie A | |
| Roma 3 - 2 Torino | |
| Napoli 3 - 0 Chievo | |
| Palermo 2 - 2 Sampdoria | |
| Udinese 6 - 2 Cagliari | |
| Bologna 3 - 1 Catania | |
| Genoa 4 - 1 Lecce | |
| Reggina 1 - 1 Siena | |
| Fiorentina 0 - 2 AC Milan | |
| Juventus 2 - 0 Lazio | |
| Inter Milan 4 - 3 Atalanta | |
| Sunday 24th May | |
| Italy Serie A | |
| AC Milan 2 - 3 Roma | |
| Chievo 0 - 0 Bologna | |
| Atalanta 2 - 2 Palermo | |
| Siena 0 - 3 Juventus | |
| Cagliari 2 - 1 Inter Milan | |
| Sampdoria 2 - 2 Udinese | |
| Catania 3 - 1 Napoli | |
| Lecce 1 - 1 Fiorentina | |
| Torino 2 - 3 Genoa | |
| Wednesday 20th May | |
| Italy Serie A | |
| Lazio 1 - 0 Reggina | |
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AC Milan | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Atalanta | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Bari | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Bologna | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | Cagliari | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Catania | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | Chievo | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | Fiorentina | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | Genoa | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | Inter Milan | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | Juventus | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | Lazio | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Livorno | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | Napoli | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | Palermo | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | Parma | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | Roma | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | Sampdoria | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | Siena | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | Udinese | 0 | 0 |
Wolfsburg and Rangers both sealed their respective league titles on the final day of their seasons.
Barcelona crowned champions despite loss at Mallorca while Inter secure fourth straight Scudetto.
Barcelona hammered Real Madrid 6-2 as Wolfsburg and Inter also strengthened their positions.
Felipe Melo's agent has stressed that the midfielder has not opened talks with another club.
Fiorentina are open to the sale of Felipe Melo to Arsenal with Emmanuel Eboue involved in the deal.
Juventus striker David Trezeguet has quashed rumours linking him with moves to Lyon and Marseille.
Aly Cissokho has admitted that he is still not sure whether he will be staying at Porto or joining AC Milan.
Bernardo Corradi is relishing the challenge ahead of him after officially completing his switch to Udinese.