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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Balotelli bounce? Berlusconi rivals question timing of AC Milan signing | Balotelli bounce? Berlusconi rivals question timing of AC Milan signing |
| (8 days later) | |
| Silvio Berlusconi has been likened to a Roman leader using populist appeasement tactics to win over voters, as his football club welcomed its latest signing, Mario Balotelli, back on home soil. | Silvio Berlusconi has been likened to a Roman leader using populist appeasement tactics to win over voters, as his football club welcomed its latest signing, Mario Balotelli, back on home soil. |
| AC Milan said on Tuesday it had agreed a deal that would see the 22-year-old Italian striker leave Manchester City. By Wednesday afternoon, Balotelli was being feted by fans in the northern Italian city, which, as well as being the club's home, is the capital of the most important region in next month's parliamentary elections, Lombardy. | AC Milan said on Tuesday it had agreed a deal that would see the 22-year-old Italian striker leave Manchester City. By Wednesday afternoon, Balotelli was being feted by fans in the northern Italian city, which, as well as being the club's home, is the capital of the most important region in next month's parliamentary elections, Lombardy. |
| The timing of the announcement, which came during the January transfer window, was enough to make Berlusconi's political rivals suggest there might possibly be more to the deal than just sport. | The timing of the announcement, which came during the January transfer window, was enough to make Berlusconi's political rivals suggest there might possibly be more to the deal than just sport. |
| "Bread and circuses," said Gabriele Albertini, a former member of Berlusconi's Freedom People party. "The bread is the jokes and propaganda and the circuses are the stadium. | "Bread and circuses," said Gabriele Albertini, a former member of Berlusconi's Freedom People party. "The bread is the jokes and propaganda and the circuses are the stadium. |
| "At the time of ancient Rome there were gladiators; now there are footballers." | "At the time of ancient Rome there were gladiators; now there are footballers." |
| Albertini is running for election in Lombardy with the centrist alliance of Mario Monti, Italy's prime minister. | Albertini is running for election in Lombardy with the centrist alliance of Mario Monti, Italy's prime minister. |
| Amid speculation that Balotelli's return to Italy could win the billionaire AC Milan owner some urgently needed votes – 400,000, according to one estimate, the head of the centre-left Democratic party, Pier Luigi Bersani, tweeted: "While I was in Padua visiting disabled people and prison inmates yesterday, Berlusconi was negotiating for Balotelli. So I announce that I'm in negotiations to bring [Barcelona's] Leo Messi to Bettola," he added, referring to his home town in the north of Italy. | Amid speculation that Balotelli's return to Italy could win the billionaire AC Milan owner some urgently needed votes – 400,000, according to one estimate, the head of the centre-left Democratic party, Pier Luigi Bersani, tweeted: "While I was in Padua visiting disabled people and prison inmates yesterday, Berlusconi was negotiating for Balotelli. So I announce that I'm in negotiations to bring [Barcelona's] Leo Messi to Bettola," he added, referring to his home town in the north of Italy. |
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