Mario Balotelli undergoes groin surgery, expected to return in 4 weeks

Italian football will be bereft of one of its most exciting, polarizing, and downright entertaining characters for the next month.

AC Milan forward Mario Balotelli underwent successful surgery on his ailing groin Wednesday, with the club announcing that the on-loan attacker will miss four weeks - assuming there are no complications.

"Coming back soon," the 25-year-old wrote on his Instagram page, while thanking fans for their support.

Balotelli, who has appeared in only four Serie A matches this season since his loan move from Liverpool, was reportedly in line to miss nearly three months as a result of the operation, a timeline which put his prospects of partaking in next summer's Euro 2016 in serious jeopardy.

If he is able to return somewhere closer to the four-week timeline outlined by the club, however, the mercurial forward should get an opportunity to show Italian national team manager Antonio Conte that he warrants a spot on the squad for next year's tournament.