'I quit Liverpool after Jurgen Klopp told me to go – I blame one person for my struggles'

Mario Balotelli was a £16m flop astatine Liverpool nether Brendan Rodgers, with the ex-Reds striker blaming the existent Celtic brag for his dismal spell astatine Anfield contempt going aft Jurgen Klopp came in

Mario Balotelli pointed the digit astatine Brendan Rodgers for his nonaccomplishment astatine Liverpool – insisting that the erstwhile Reds manager's tactics didn't play to his strengths.

The Italian striker, who made a astonishment £16million power from AC Milan in 2014, was brought successful arsenic a imaginable replacement for Luis Suarez but failed to deliver.

Rodgers, present astatine Celtic, took a gamble connected Balotelli that didn't wage off, with the guardant netting a dire 4 goals successful 28 appearances, and lone 1 successful the Premier League.

After conscionable 1 season, Balotelli recovered himself retired of favour, starring to a indebtedness determination backmost to Milan. It was during this clip that he criticised Rodgers' approach, admitting immoderate idiosyncratic responsibility but besides highlighting the mismatch successful playing style.

Reflecting connected his clip astatine Anfield, Balotelli said (via the Liverpool Echo): "I indispensable judge my faults, but the enactment chosen by [manager Brendan] Rodgers was not suited to my characteristics. At the opening I missed respective casual chances, past I had less chances to score, a spot of atrocious luck, injuries."

When helium returned to Merseyside successful the summertime of 2016, Jurgen Klopp was had replaced Rodgers astir a afloat twelvemonth before, and the narration betwixt manager and subordinate was abbreviated and sharp. Balotelli claims helium and Klopp had conscionable 1 speech earlier helium was connected the determination again, this clip to French broadside Nice wherever helium enjoyed immoderate of the champion signifier of his full career.

Balotelli told Sky Italia successful 2016: “Klopp doesn't cognize me. I spoke to him once, helium told maine to spell determination else, enactment hard and past return. So I said goodbye to them, and that we wouldn't beryllium seeing each different again.”

The Italian defended his professionalism portion astatine Liverpool successful a Gazzetta interview, saying: "I ne'er complained, I accepted the decisions of the manager and I ever behaved similar a professional.

"The nonrecreational Mario didn't conscionable onshore present successful Milanello, adjacent astatine Liverpool my behaviour and manner were normal. Over the past twelvemonth determination was ne'er a occupation with my backstage life. I whitethorn person enactment pictures from restaurants connected Instagram, but that does not mean I did not bid adjacent though I was not playing.

"I person trained a lot, 2 sessions astatine times by myself implicit the past period with [Fabio] Borini and Jose Enrique: it was tough, but if I didn't bash it I would person been dormant bushed aft grooming yesterday."

After being released by Adana Demirspor earlier this year, Balotelli - who is presently a escaped cause - looked backmost connected his stint nether Rodgers, whom helium sharply criticised arsenic "the worst manager I person ever had". Balotelli said: "He was fig 1 arsenic acold arsenic grooming sessions were concerned, what with keeping possession of the shot and the small-sided games. But arsenic a idiosyncratic helium was a disaster."

Reflecting connected the rocky narration with his erstwhile player, Rodgers admitted connected talkSPORT that they weren't a bully match, saying: "I conscionable couldn't truly link with Mario.

"He was 1 that came successful precise precocious successful the window. It was a gamble taken from a nine perspective. It was 1 where, he's a large talent, he'll travel successful and develop, he's got each the tools.

"In each fairness, I conscionable recovered it precise hard to link with Mario. On the field, helium tried his best. But it surely wasn't thing that worked retired arsenic everyone would like. If helium could ever lucifer that strength with his talent, past he'd beryllium 1 of the champion players successful the world."

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