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Mario Balotelli is not buying Roberto Mancini's claim that Italy lack attacking talents following their defeat against England in the Euro 2024 qualifiers.
Mario Balotelli has taken a fresh swipe at former coach Roberto Mancini.
The former Manchester City and AC Milan striker has hit out at the Italy national team’s coach over his recent claims about Italy’s attacking options.
Mancini bemoaned Italy’s lack of talent in the Serie A and national team, citing the lack of children playing football in the streets as one of the reasons for the shortage of players coming through.
"I don't know why there are so few strikers, we are very limited going forwards," he said in a statement via BBC Sport, following Italy’s 2-1 defeat to England in their Euro 2024 qualifiers on Thursday.
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"We have three teams in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, but out of the three teams there are seven or eight Italians at most. This is the reality.", he added.
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However, following Mancini’s admission, a former Italy striker who is certainly no stranger to the 58-year-old former Manchester City boss.
Mario Balotelli rubbishes Roberto Mancini’s attacking shortage claim
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Mario Balotelli who worked with Roberto Mancini at Man City during third Premier League title success in 2012, took to Instagram to send Mancini a message following his assessment of talents in the Azzurri.
"There are strikers in Italy and they are fit, trust me.
"Regret is the feeling of those who regularly don't learn the lesson and get there once it's all finished. Or simply, they never get there.!", the 32-year-old striker said.
Balotelli has represented the Italy national team 36 times scoring 14 times for the Azzurri.
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However, he has not been called up to the national team since 2018.
Balotelli currently plays for FC Sion in the Swiss Super League and has made 14 appearances, netting five times in the league so far this season.
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