Balotelli set to sign for injury-hit Genoa

Napoli continue to lead Serie A table with another slender victory

MILAN:

Mario Balotelli is set to return to Italian football with Genoa, the injury-hit Serie A club's sporting director confirmed on Sunday.

Speaking ahead of Genoa's match at Lazio, Marco Ottolini said of former Italy striker Balotelli: "Save for any surprises he will be a Genoa player tomorrow (Monday)."

Genoa have seven players out injured including forwards Junior Messias and Vitinha and have decided to take a gamble on free agent Balotelli, who last played in Serie A for Brescia four years ago and last season was at Adana Demirspor in Turkey.

"We've decided to go all-in with Balotelli. We're hoping for real enthusiasm, he has shown a huge desire to come back (to Italy) and play for Genoa," said Ottolini.

Balotelli, born in Palermo to Ghanaian parents, was once one of the young stars of Italian football and considered a potentially world class striker.

But at the age of 34 this move to Genoa represents a last chance on the big stage after a rocky career in which uncomfortable off-field headlines have been as common as goals and trophies.

A career high point came at Euro 2012, when he starred up front for losing finalists Italy the summer after helping Manchester City win their first English league title since 1968.

Di Lorenzo fires Napoli five points clear

Giovanni Di Lorenzo made sure Napoli will stay top of Serie A this weekend after firing the winner in Saturday's 1-0 victory over Lecce to move his team five points clear.

Captain Di Lorenzo bundled home the only goal of a scrappy game in Naples after Scott McTominay's header from a corner was saved by Lecce goalkeeper Wladimiro Falcone, giving Napoli their fourth win in as many matches.

The Italy full-back's third goal of the season for Napoli came after he was denied in the first half when his close-range finish was rightly ruled out for offside.

Napoli are comfortably ahead of second-placed Inter Milan, who host Juventus on Sunday in the biggest match to date of their league title defence.

"It was a really important match for us, we tried in every way possible to score and in the end we managed to do it," said Di Lorenzo to DAZN.

Antonio Conte's side created little else against spirited Lecce, who remain second from bottom on five points after a fourth straight defeat, as Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Matteo Politano started on the bench.

Romelu Lukaku fluffed Napoli's best chance of the match when he skied over from inside the six-yard box nine minutes after half-time, and the hosts were panicky in the final minutes as Lecce pushed for a leveller.