Italy head coach Giampiero Ventura has omitted Mario Balotelli from his squad for upcoming matches against Liechtenstein and Germany.
Balotelli, 26, has been in sensational goalscoring form for Nice since joining the Ligue 1 outfit over the summer.
The 26-year-old has not featured for Italy since the 2014 World Cup and there were suggestions he could have forced his way into Ventura’s latest squad following a sensational return to form.
However, the Nice striker will not return to the international set-up for the upcoming fixtures, which include a World Cup qualifier against Liechtenstein.
Only Ciro Immobile (9) and Andrea Belotti (8) have scored more goals of Italian players that feature in Europe’s big five leagues this season (Balotelli - 6).
For more stats on Mario Balotelli, click here to visit his WhoScored player page
