Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli has slammed Cesare Prandelli, saying the Italian is not a ‘real man’.
The much talked about Mario Balotelli was publicly criticised by Prandelli following Italy’s group stage exit from the World Cup this summer in Brazil, but the former AC Milan man has hit back.
“Real men, if they have something to say, then they come to you and say it to your face,” Balotelli told Sport.
“I am a face-to-face person, a straight person.
“Prandelli said bad stuff about me. Should he be going and talking to the newspapers about me straight after a game? I did not expect that and I did not reply, because there is no point.
“I have to be honest and say I was disappointed at what people were saying and how they were blaming me after the World Cup.
“I think I had two, maybe three chances all tournament. Everyone knows I scored against England, but I couldn’t do much else.”
Prandelli resigned after the poor World Cup campaign, but that has not helped Balotelli’s exemption from the Italian national side.
“I understand why I am not in the squad,” he stated.
“I haven’t been scoring, but players like [Graziano] Pelle and the other strikers have been. So they deserve to be there, but I love Italy and nobody can ever say anything about my national team.”