Spain vs Italy: Mario Balotelli Is Italy's Only Shot at Beating the Spanish

One of the most anticipated first round matches of Euro 2012 comes down to one player.

Which Mario Balotelli will show up on June 10 for the Italians in there match against Spain?

The guy who has threatened to walk off the field if he is the target of racist abuse at Euro 2012 has to be on top of his game to defeat the mighty Spaniards.

Super Mario is hands down the most gifted forward for the Italians, and has the speed to get behind Spain’s vaunted defense and sneak one past the keeper.

Yet after a Premier League season where he was sent off twice and suspended, his mental state-of-mind is certainly in question entering play.

What doesn’t help is that he was forced to leave Monday’s training session with what was deemed a “fitness problem” on Monday.

The Manchester City star claimed discomfort in his right knee, and the medical staff deemed him to have a minor muscle overload. He resumed full training on Tuesday but it’s certainly something to keep an eye on.

While Super Mario may be the X-Factor, it’s not like he’s a one-man team.

Italy has historically been a dangerous tournament team.

With strong discipline as they keep things extremely tight in the back, they tend to frustrate the opponent into making a stupid mistake that is taken advantage of.

It may be boring, but it’s incredibly effective and it can bait Spain into some serious frustration.

The strength of this team lies in the midfield, with guys like Andrea Pirlo (fresh off an incredible season), who may be the most proficient passer in the entire sport. He will be one of the key players to set up Super Mario—in addition to top talents like Riccardo Montolivo.

Balotelli will have opportunities, and it’s up to him to stay focused on the task at hand. He needs to ignore the outside noise and other distractions and keep his head in the match.

Easier said than done, but it’s the only way his club can defeat a Spain team that has an incredible back line that is going to be extremely physical with him. You'd better believe they are going to push him around and try and get into his head, baiting him into retaliation.  

Balotelli could score the winning goal, or receive a red card and everything in-between. The ultra-talented Super Mario is the biggest enigma in the sport and the hopes of the Italians rest on his shoulders.

Is he up for the challenge?

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