 Boateng called the German media and the German national team players hypocrites for backing Ballack whilst ignoring his slap on the pitch.Boateng also criticised Joachim Löw for protecting Ballack after he slapped striker Lukas Podolski in a German national football team training match the previous year.On 17 August 2010, Boateng transferred to Italian Serie A club Genoa on a three-year contract for €5.75 million, (a reported €5.7 million plus the transfer of Anthony Vanden Borre, despite the latter deal falling-through) and then immediately joined Milan on loan.