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Balotelli set for another Milan debut

Milan - Mario Balotelli is expected to make his second AC Milan debut on Sunday, adding extra spice to what is already set to be a heated derby match against Inter Milan.

Elsewhere, Juventus is still looking for its first points after its worst start to a Serie A season and it welcomes surprise frontrunner Chievo Verona on Saturday.

Balotelli returned to his boyhood club on loan last month, just a year after joining Liverpool from Milan.

The 25-year-old appeared to realize it was his last chance to redeem himself, especially following a poor season in which he scored just one goal in 16 Premier League appearances and lost his spot in the Italy squad.

However, it didn't take long for Balotelli to make headlines off the pitch as he had his driving license suspended for speeding last week. Milan, which has imposed a code of ethics on the forward, decided not to fine him.

Balotelli will be eager to prove his doubters wrong and he can take a significant step toward that by scoring in the derby against Inter - the team at which he started his Serie A career, before moving to Manchester City in 2010.

"He is very important for us. Mario is a great player who has come to give us an important hand," said Milan forward Luiz Adriano, who recently signed from Shakhtar Donetsk.

"The team needs everyone and he will help us a lot."

Milan beat Empoli 2-1 after losing its first game at Fiorentina, while Inter got off to a flying start and won its opening two matches - albeit against Atalanta and Carpi.

It sits third, behind Chievo and Torino, which visits Hellas Verona on Sunday. Sassuolo and Palermo are the other two teams to have won their opening matches and they host Atalanta and Carpi respectively.


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