Berlusconi: I never intended to insult Balotelli

Jan 15, 2013 10:45:00 AM

The Rossoneri's president says he did not mean to insult the Citizens' striker, adding that what he said had been incorrectly translated

AC Milan supremo Silvio Berlusconi has apologised to Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli for calling him 'a rotten apple', and has stressed that he was misquoted and never meant to insult the Italy international.

The 22-year-old attacker has set his sights on a move to the Rossoneri as he is unhappy with life at the Premier League champions, as Goal.com exclusively revealed in December, but a transfer seemed to be out of the question after Berlusconi's previous comments

However, the move could now be back on after all following his apology.

"What I said was not directed at Balotelli. I apologise if I offended him with my comments," Berlusconi told Sky Sport Italia.

"I was misquoted. I was talking about how a team needs positive individuals in the dressing room and not people who could disrupt things with their behaviour. It was not directed at one person in particular."

However Berlusconi remained coy on a potential move for the former Inter star.

"No-one at Milan has held talks with him. Neither I, nor Adriano Galliani, has identified him as one of our transfer targets."

Galliani, meanwhile, has also denied that Balotelli is a target for the Rossoneri.

"We have never discussed Balotelli," the Milan CEO said.

Balotelli has a contract with Manchester City until June 2015.

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