The AC Milan striker missed the World Cup qualifying match due to illness, but Chiellini refused to attribute the draw in Copenhagen to his absence.
"Nobody is indispensable," the defender told reporters at a press conference. "This is and always will be Balotelli’s Italy, even if it is possible to play without him.
"Mario has been unlucky because he picked up an injury in the first training session and then had a fever. I do not care if he annoys someone, that is the story of his career."
Meanwhile, Cesare Prandelli has been linked to the Juventus dugout after his contract with the Azzurri expires next year after the World Cup, but Chiellini has dubbed such reports as pure speculation.
"I think it is fantasy football, as we are so tied to [Antonio] Conte at Juventus and Prandelli for Italy," he continued.
"We are carrying out a good project with him here [for Italy], but everything else is really fantasy football."
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