Man City boss Mancini says his controversial striker has all the talent in the world but must realise football’s his job and work hard every day
Roberto Mancini has warned Mario Balotelli he could blow the chance to join Cristiano Ronaldo as one of the world’s best players.
Ronaldo is returning to Manchester for the first time since quitting Old Trafford in 2009 ashis Real Madrid side face City in a crucial Chamoions League group game, and Mancini says Balotelli could emulate the Bernabeu darling if he knuckles down.
Mancini has been a fan of his Italian compatriot since handing him his Inter Milan debut when Balotelli was 17, and feels he has all the attributes to make it to the very top.
However, the City boss claims Balotelli, who is struggling to recover from a back injury, could throw away that golden opportunity if he does not change his attitude.
Mancini axed the controversial forward from his squad for the win over Tottenham 10 days ago because he was not happy with him.
The volatile pair have rowed almost as often as Balotelli has scored goals for City and Mancini says the 22-year-old must understand that football has to come first in his life.
Mancini clearly finds Balotelli frustrating and when asked on Tuesday how hard it is working with him, he replied, half-jokingly: “Good question! I can answer you tomorrow.
“Mario, outside the pitch, is a fantastic guy. Sometimes he doesn’t understand what is your job and how his job is important for his life, but I hope, for him, that he can understand this quickly.
“Now he is 22, but life can go quickly and I hope he can improve everything, because as a player he could be like Cristiano and Messi.
“He could do this if he understands that to be like them you should work hard – your mind should be always on your job, not on the other things that are not important.
“I’m very sorry for him for this. He has everything to be one of the best players in the world.
“It’s not easy to work with him every day because if you are a manager, you should manage 22 players. This is not easy sometimes, but I hope he can change his mind.”
Mancini has given Balotelli some leeway because he has delivered on the pitch for City – his scoring streak 12 months ago made up for Carlos Tevez going AWOL.
But he is not keeping his side of the bargain this season and has slipped to fourth in Mancini’s pecking order of strikers after scoring just two goals in 13 appearances.
Linked with big-spending Paris Saint-Germain and a return to Italy amid reports of City interest in Liverpool striker Luis Suarez, Balotelli appears to at a crossroads in his City career.
And Mancini’s public rebuke is the manager’s latest attempt to get him to focus on his football.
Ironically, Real boss Jose Mourinho gave up on Balotelli when he succeeded Mancini as Inter boss and lead them to the Champions League in 2010.
The Portuguese has succeeded in a competition where Mancini had failed repeatedly, and the Italian’s son Andrea has stoked the debate over the two managers by claiming his dad is best.
Mancini smiled when asked about his son’s comments and says Wednesday’s match is not about him vs Mourinho.
His main concern is trying to contain Real’s star-studded side as City seek the win to keep their so-slim-they’re-anorexic Champions League hopes alive.
“I think it is normal,” said Mancini. “If you talk with Mourinho’s sons, they say the same. My son has his opinion. I respect his opinion.
“I think [the match] is not Mourinho against Mancini, but City against Real Madrid. The players are more important than us.
“It’s my opinion that Real Madrid is the best team in the world, with Barcelona. When you play against Real, you play against 11 top players.
“We should pay attention to all the players, because they can score with top players.
“Ronaldo, Benzema, Di Maria, Ozil, Xabi Alonso… every game they can score three or four goals.
“We should play our football, but we should pay attention in some situations.
“This is why football is fantastic, because if you play against Barca and Real, you can win.”
Man City vs Real Madrid: Probable teams
Manchester City Hart; Zabaleta; Kompany, Lescott, Kolarov; Silva, Yaya Toure, Javi Garcia, Nasri; Tevez, Aguero.
Real Madrid Casillas; Arbeloa, Varane, Pepe, Ramos; Ronaldo, Essien, Alonso, Ozil; Higuain. Di Maria.
Man City v Real Madrid: facts and stats
City will be eliminated from the Champions League if they do not win the match.
Only two teams have ever had two points or fewer after four Champions league group matches and qualified for the next stage (Lokomotiv 2002-03 and Porto 2004-05).
If Real win and Ajax do not beat Dortmund in the group’s other match, the Spanish champions will progress to the last 16. They will also progress with a draw if Dortmund win.
Real Madrid have taken 92 shots in the Champions League already this season – more than any other club.
City, in contrast, have ALLOWED their opponents more shots on target (33) than any other team in the competition.
Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 15 goals in his last 13 Champions League appearances, and has netted in four of his last six appearances against City.
Real have kept just one clean sheet in their last 10 Champions League games.
Manchester City have played 36 home games in European competition, excluding qualifiers, and lost just one (W25 D10 L1). They have never lost to an overseas team – their only defeat came against Chelsea.
Real have scored 60% of their goals in this season’s Champions League in the final 15 minutes of games (including all three in the reverse fixture against City) – a competition high proportion.
