Mario Balotelli Suspended For 3 Matches After Confrontation With Official During AC Milan Loss To Napoli

Italian club AC Milan recently dropped a close match to Napoli, but as multiple reports are indicating, that isn't the only loss the team will endure this season. The Serie A club advanced to the Champions League Round of 16 last season and despite the fact that there is talent up and down the roster, Milan could be without star Mario Balotelli for a three-game stretch after the goal-scorer was slapped with a suspension during the Sept. 22 loss to Napoli. Given the penalty for making "insulting and intimidating comments" toward an official, the 23-year-old international star is expected to be out for the next three matches although AC Milan may elect to appeal the penalty.

Milan -- who currently sit 11th in Serie A with 4 points through 4 matches -- is scheduled to take on Bologna, Sampdoria and Juventus in consecutive fashion over the coming days and if they're forced to enter the matches without their leading scorer, the club could find themselves in an uphill fight for the remainder of the season if they're not able to earn points without the Italian national star. Playing in each of the club's four league matches this season, Balotelli has performed well, notching 3 goals to lead all AC Milan scorers. Registering 1 assist as well, the forward continues to develop into one of the best offensive players in professional soccer.

Even though it certainly does appear that Balotelli will miss the next three Milan contests, head coach Massimiliano Allegri remains confident in his team's ability to reach first place even if they must begin a stretch without their primary playmaker.

"The team has played their best match of the championship, only making mistakes in the first 10 minutes and with the Napoli goals," Allegri said recently to Sky Sports Italia. "We still have great chances to fight for first place. We are going to play better and we will get all the players fully fit. I don't know what to say about the protests at the end. It's better not to create confusion, the referee has already made up his mind."