Adel Taarabt has branded himself the ‘Balotelli of Morocco’ after joining the Italian striker’s AC Milan side on loan.
Taarabt spent the first half of the 2014-15 season at Fulham on loan from Queens Park Rangers but after failing to capture the eye of Cottagers former manager Martin Jol or current manager Rene Meulensteen, the Moroccoan international was sent to the Rossoneri to see out the spring.
It is with the Serie A giants where Taarabt will join up with the talented but rambunctious Balotelli.
“I thought ‘they’ve got the Italian Balotelli and now they’re going to have the Balotelli of Morocco’,” Taarabt said after arriving in Milan. “I can’t wait to get to know Balotelli better and to become his friend.”
A nice gesture by Taarabt but the soundbite begs the question - just how similar are these two players?
More than you might think. Only a year separates the two Taarabt (24-years old) Balotelli (23-years old) and both play in attacking positions, Taarabt as an attacking midfielder who sometimes plays as a second striker and Balotelli as a pure striker.
Both have also had several fallouts with managers.
Taraabt stomped off the ground at QPR after being substituted at half-time for QPR in October 2011, while he retired (before later unretiring) from international soccer after a disagreement with manager Eric Gerets. Balotelli was a constant source of frustration for Jose Mourinho while at Inter Milan and under Roberto Mancini at Manchester City had to be separated after a training ground altercation in January 2013.
Where the difference lays is success.
In his young career Balotelli has already won the Champions League, three Serie A titles, a Premier League title, the FA Cup, the Coppa Italia, the Italian Supercoppa and a FA Community Shield. Taraabt has won a single title, the 2010-11 English Championship.
Of course, there isn’t a ton a player can do about the squad he’s been brought into and that would likely be Taraabt’s argument as to why he hasn’t had as much success as Balotelli. Further, Taraabt is not an out-and-out striker like Balotelli so comparing their Premier League goals (Balotelli has 20 in 54 appearances to Taraabt’s seven in 79) isn’t exactly fair either.
Despite controversy surrounding both player’s careers only Balotelli has provided consistent evidence of his extraordinary talent. Barring one season in England’s second league, Taraabt has failed to do so. No better time to prove doubters wrong than alongside Balotelli in those famous red and black stripes.