And he is now in strong contention for a place in Roberto Mancini’s team in the FA Cup fourth round replay against Notts County at Eastlands.
And that piles the pressure on Blues’ new boy Edin Dzeko who has been finding it hard to adapt to his new environment and the pace of the English game.
Mancini warned Dzeko after he drew a fifth blank in six appearances in Greece that he has to find his feet quickly at City, with an important three months looming.
Dzeko’s only goal so far was the late equaliser at Meadow Lane which set up Sunday’s replay.
But Balotelli stepped up his rehabilitation from a knee injury with a surprise appearance as a substitute in Salonika and looked lively.
By contrast to Dzeko, Balotelli has made quite an impact – both good and bad – in his seven months at the club.
Two lengthy spells out injured, one red card, four yellows, a car smash, some dubious headwear and a training-ground tussle with his pal Jerome Boateng have meant he has rarely been out of the spotlight.
But Balotelli has also bagged eight goals in 11 appearances, without appearing to get out of second gear.
With 20-goal Carlos Tevez the undoubted kingpin of the City attack, a fully fit Balotelli is already ahead of Dzeko in the pecking order.
He has fitted seamlessly into the left side of City’s attacking formation alongside Tevez, whereas accommodating Dzeko has been more problematic.
The big Bosnian is better suited to be the spearhead of the attack, but that is also Tevez’s most effective role, so Mancini has been wrestling with ways of getting the best our of both men in the same team.
Balotelli recovery
Balotelli damaged the meniscus in his right knee on his debut in Timisoara in August and was out for over two months following surgery.
After a hectic spell of 10 appearances, punctuated by a three-match ban for his red card at West Brom, he suffered internal bleeding on the troublesome knee after scoring a hat-trick in the 4-0 demolition of Aston Villa on December 28.
After fears he may need further surgery subsided, he was sent to Vermont for a fortnight to work under the gaze of world-renowned knee specialist Bill Knowles, the man who got Tiger Woods’ golf career back on track after cruciate ligament damage.
Knowles then came to Carrington to assess Balotelli and set him a careful programme of rehabilitation.
Balotelli was not expected to play in Salonika but had progressed so well that he was able to grab a valuable 15 minutes.
First team coach David Platt said: “In his programme he was always going to get a week’s training under his belt. He came back early last week and started to train on the training pitch.
“We looked at it the other night and thought we should put him on the substitutes’ bench and if we could give him 15 minutes we would do so. That is what he got, but as part of his rehab programme. He is now back in his rehab programme and is in full-time training.
He has done ever so well and that is why he was on the bench.
“By the time the weekend comes, he will have another week of training under his belt and will be available for selection if the manager picks him.”
City got the job done with a minimum of fuss on Tuesday night and are big favourites to secure a place in the round of 16 in next Thursday’s second leg.
Some City fans were underwhelmed by the team’s performance, especially in light of Tottenham’s 1-0 win over AC Milan in the San Siro later the same night.
But Platt said that sometimes in European ties it is about emerging unscathed and making sure that the odds are in your favour going into the return leg, and City have done that.
“I can’t say they ever really troubled us apart from a couple of free kicks where you start to get worried, but Joe Hart dealt with them comfortably,” he said.
“In the cold light of day people will look back at the game and say we were red-hot favourites, as we play in the Premier League and they are mid-table in their league.
“But I have been involved on nights like this before and the gaffer has been involved in a lot more of them, and you make sure you go back as the favourites in the second leg.
“We are the favourites, but we have not got that away goal, so they could come to our place and throw one in from 35 yards.
“It’s not over yet but I would say we are the happier side going back home.”
Platt also felt that Aris’s proud record of not losing a home game in Europe for 42 years – a run of 26 matches – also played a part.
“We were surprised when we heard that because it’s one hell of a record, and they have carried it on against us,” he said.
“But I don’t think we were going to be in difficulty unless we put ourselves in difficulty, and the pleasing thing is that we have come away with a good European performance.
“I don’t think we ever felt that we wouldn’t be the team to unblock the game.”
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At least Ragoldo waited till he won a couple of titles and the Champions league before expressing a long held dream of playing for another club.
Mario's doin it before he's won ten points with us
Bring back the Goat
Tock tick
Sunday is a chance for both of them to start. I'd give Tevez a rest (or bench him) to freshen up a bit - why he's looked so jaded in the last game or two is a mystery, but a change is as good as a rest - and play Balotelli in a LW or left-sided forward position with Dzeko in the centre. Once Dzeko has found the net a few times he'll be flying, and Sunday presents a fine opportunity.
Mario's Chickenhat is the best
It's better than a snood or a veeeeest
We don't care if he looks like a tw*t
Super Mario's Chickenhat
The boy has undoubted skill, but I think his work rate lets him down. To have a trophy winning side the whole team has to play as one. Question a future City legend or another one to go out on loan?
To be honest I'd start both Dzeko + Balotelli on Sunday with Tevez on the bench. Both need to get games uinder their belts and Tevez needs to have a breather ready for the final push of the season. Also need to see how it works without Tevez in case he picks up an injury or gets suspended.Without taking Notts County too lightly if we can't try a new pairing in this game then when?
Did anyone honestly expect Dzeko to come in straight away, bang in 20 goals and win us the title??
I am suprised he has got as many minutes on the pitch as he has. I think it is only the fact Mario has been out that he has. He didn;t play a game for over a month. Is a new signing half way through the season and has to get used to not only the premiership, but new team mates and a different way of playing. I said before his signed that he should play a bit part, get a good pre season with us and they sit back and watch the goals come. I like the way Mancini handles things but was disappointed at his permature statement that he needs to do more.
“We are the favourites, but we have not got that away goal, so they could come to our place and throw one in from 35 yards"
Exactly and that is why it was NOT a good away performance because we didn't get the away goal !! And that is also why Spurs are in the Champions League and we are not because they play to win and we play not to lose.1-1 would have been a better result than 0-0 and if they had scored first we might have been forced to be more positive going forward.
Until Mancini finds the right team from his squad we are never going to get that winning mentality. We need to play the same team in every game for the rest of the season and rest only the odd player not half the team. Sadly,I fear another host of changes for the next two non-Premier League games, more confusion in defence,a ponderous Viera led midfield and toothless Jo led attack and probably 2 cup exits in the same week.
After all we are typical City no matter how much money we spend.
CTID
Dzeko needs games to allow him to settle into the team so putting him on the bench won't help him. Personally I don't think his performances so far have been that bad for someone new to the Prem (it takes some players longer than others to settle). Mario, whose goals to games ratio is fantastic, doesn't need to be rushed back so a place on the bench won't do him any harm - anyway, we all know the Governor will have his team up for the game and we don't want some lower league neanderthal having a pop at his knee.
Glad I will be there to see it...What about all the part time (only gonna go to the league game fans)? Duk egg,Edski.-At £15 a ticket you can never say that tickets are too expensive......
I believe that Dzeko is a superb striker,just the kind of player we have not had in years...he is big,brave and hardworking...he certainly has the technical skills,with two good feet and a great header of the ball.He should start with King Carlitos.Ballotelli played 15 minutes on Tuesday night and should play another 45 minutes on Sunday.We still need one more striker because Ade/Bellers/Caicedo/RSC/Jo should all be sold in June.
Rest Carlos on Sunday - Play 4 3 3
Hart
Zaba Kompany Lescott Boetang
Sweep Yaya Barry
Silva Edin Mario
Subs Given, Micah Kolo De Jong if fit Viera Carlos Gudieti
perfect game to rest carlos and give mario and dzeko a go,its all good in my eyes. the real mark jones.
As Carlito remains our main source of goals for the run in at least the question remains who is the more effective partner for him,Edin or Mario?.Or do we start with Carlito up front alone and then make a tactical change as any game demands.Against the County(Notts that is) I`d rest Carlito and start with Edin and Mario to give them more time on the pitch,we shall see.
ON sunday i would play MARIO /EDIN as astike force ,with SILVA pulling the strings, leave CARLOS on the bench for insurance. We must learn to score from other players, and the NOTTS game is ideal!!!! come on BLUES
Dzeko has one goal in 6 appearances? Adebayor has two in 4 for Real Madrid. We would have been better off with Manu.
given,
Richards Kompany Lescott zab
swp toure milner Kolarov
Dzeko Balotelli
tevez, de jong, silva, on bench if needed.. please no jo....
Anyone going to Chelsea??? What a disgrace these prices are..and on a Sunday afternoon at 4pm...mmmmmm let me think on this one,Sky or a nightmare trip there...I've chosen..sky!!
Did we charge the chavs the same? I actually laughed when I saw these prices!!!! We may not have won as many trophies recently but £15 for Notts County,£17 for Aris and a fiver for kids...FUNNY HOW WE NEVER GET A POSITIVE MENTION REGARDING OUR TICKETING!!
Upper Tier
£55.00 – Adults
£23.50 – Under 16s/Over 65s
Lower Tier
£52.00 – Adults
£23.50 – Under 16s/Over 65s
man city arn't real madrid..
Mario Balotelli and Edin Dzeko should start against Notts County, with Carlos Tevez on the bench. I am more than ever convinced that, given time together to develop an understanding, they will form an awesome partnership. In my opinion, Dzeko was much better than he was given credit for against Aris: his header was only stopped by an excellent save; he had City's best shot; he played a key part in City's best move; he made two penetrating passes to Shaun Wright-Phillips, who should have made more of them; and he moved intelligently off the ball. I was very disappointed in the post-match comments of Roberto Mancini: having avoided public criticisms of individual players for a long time, he has recently started over-doing "X must improve".
In my view, the idea of a 'pecking order' as between Balotelli, Dzeko and Tevez is not helpful. All three are class players and have much to contribute. I am hoping that the judgment that Tevez cannot play with Dzeko is premature. If he cannot do so effectively, then the problem lies in Tevez's nature rather than in 'spaces' they would like to occupy. Lionel Messi also plays as a 'false 9' for Barcelona but he combines brilliantly with David Villa.
Maybe we have to try and take advantage of any unmarked extra men even if it means using the defense. The other night two CITY players running down the wing and I counted five men zoning in on them. That could mean at least three men out of position which would leave a number unmarked.
He looked a lot better than Dzeko when he came on. Dzeko needs time to settle and we desperately need top 4, so we dont have time to settle him in (which im sure he will do eventually). City desperately need pace and balotelli has this in abundence. We need someone who is lightening to run the channel off the last man. AJ before he got injured did this occasionally and when he did he always seemed to score!
I would put Balotelli on the wing and have him cutting inside with silva and tevez linking up with him.
No Milner and no Barry and then see what our team are capable of!!
HART
ZAB RICHARDS BOATENG LESCOTT
DEJONG
SILVA KOMPANY KOLAROV
DZEKO BALOTELLI
CAPTAIN: KOMPANY - Why because during the Hamburg game this guy was the only player I have seen in recent seasons have both the ability and desire to spur the team on,suggest someone shows the game to Mancini, the middle of the park is our big weakness!
It won't happen of course but I can dream!
Won a bet on a Arsenal 2-1 victory, who says women don't understand football.
Alf , I agree Tevez is not an easy player to play with, for me only Silva combines well with him. Edin has a lot of fine qualities but he has been quoted as saying he is not a lone target man and dislikes the role. IMO Edin's chronic lack of pace and mobility means he will never be able play effectively with Tevez or in the Premiership.
I see Fergies holding a charity event for himself in a couple of weeks I believe its called Red Nose Day.
Give Tevez a rest - and play Dzeko & Balotelli up front.
Balotelli hasn't played many games and needs games under his belt.
Dzeko didn't play over Winter due to the German Winter break and needs games to acclimatise to English football.