Football
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Roberto Mancini says Mario Balotelli could throw his career away

Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli is in danger of wasting his career by failing to live up to his potential, according to his former coach Roberto Mancini.

Balotelli has not impressed since arriving from AC Milan for 16 million pounds in August, and is still awaiting his first Premier League goal for the Reds. Manager Brendan Rodgers said over Christmas that the 24-year-old does not fit into the 3-4-2-1 set-up he has adopted in recent weeks, and so may have to get used to being on the bench.

It seems increasingly likely that Balotelli will be sold at the end of the season, with Mancini -- now in charge at Inter Milan -- indicating in December that he would be interested in a deal.

Mancini took the forward to Inter from Italian third-tier side Lumezzane in 2006, gave him his Serie A debut the following year and then signed him for Manchester City in 2010.

The Inter boss is concerned that Balotelli could end up fading away in the same manner as former Brazil striker Adriano, whose career tailed off after two spells with the Nerazzurri amid off-field indiscipline.

Mancini told Corriere della Sera: "He could go the same way as Adriano. For different reasons, but the same result. My only hope is that he will wake up one morning and realise he is throwing everything away."

Balotelli won the FA Cup and the Premier League during two-and-a-half years under Mancini at Manchester City, but ended up being fined by the club for his poor disciplinary record, having missed 11 games during the 2011-12 title-winning campaign because of suspension.

Mancini admitted openly during a local media news conference in March 2011 that the Italy international never listened to him.

The pair also had a training ground fall-out, which was captured by photographers, shortly before City sold Balotelli to AC Milan in January 2013.

But the Inter boss says now that he managed to keep Balotelli's behaviour under control.

Mancini said: "At Inter with me, he was a kid. He would do anything, even clean the locker rooms. At City, for 2 1/2 years, he behaved well.

"Mario went out with my children; they were more or less peers and that helped me to relate to him.

"But with Mario, it is not easy. What goes in one ear, comes out the other.

"I think he is doing his best at Liverpool. It just depends on him. He is still young; he has the strength to develop.

"But he must sort out his head. Since leaving City, he has declined in every aspect of his game. I thought he would do well at Milan, but it didn't happen.

"I have no idea what the solution is, but anyone coaching him should be paid double -- a Balotelli indemnity."

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