Balotelli wants a kiss from the Queen

 

England's hopes of qualifying for the second round of the World Cup hang by a thread after their 2-1 defeat by Uruguay.

Roy Hodgson must pray that Italy beat Costa Rica on Friday to ensure the Three Lions remain in the competition.

And Azzurri striker Mario Balotelli has delivered his demands should he help make that happen - a kiss from the Queen!

He tweeted: 'If we beat Costa Rica I want a kiss, obviously on the cheek, from the UK Queen.'

Balotelli scored the winner when Italy beat England last week and will lead the line again in Recife.

If Cesare Prandelli's men pick up another three points, England must beat Costa Rica on Tuesday and hope Italy beat Uruguay on the same night.

Meanwhile, Prandelli expects conditions to favor the Costs Ricans on Friday night.
‘As far as I'm concerned the South American teams have an advantage not just because they live and work and operate under these conditions, but their explosiveness is different from that of European teams,’ Prandelli said, lumping his Central American opponent in with its counterparts farther south. 

‘Based on the data that we looked at and the matches we analysed, the Europeans withstand more (defensively) - they're more resistant - but they are less explosive vis-a-vis their South American counterparts.’

Prandelli said the Italians knew well in advance they would have to cope with the heat and humidity.

‘We're ready. We don't have any more excuses,’ he said. ‘The climate doesn't scare us anymore. The squads scare us - the squads that increase their pace during matches.

‘So tomorrow, I think we're going to be suffering. I really believe that we will suffer, but we have an idea of what we're going to be doing on the pitch.’

Forecasts are calling for rain and temperatures approaching 30C again.