Mario Balotelli has fired back at former team-mate Zlatan Ibrahimovic after his recent comments regarding the Italian’s playing career.
Their clash began when the Swedish star was asked to compare his former team-mate Rafael Leao with the ex-Man City striker Balotelli.
According to the Gazzetta dello Sport, he said: ‘When a kid has the chance to exploit his talent and misses opportunities it’s a shame.
‘Balotelli had many, and he missed them all. This is the truth. Leao is not like Mario, that shot from the wrong heel is brilliant stuff.
‘If he scores like that, he’s a genius. And that thing makes you understand why Leao is there and Balotelli instead is in the stands’.
Balotelli was clearly not happy with Ibrahimovic’s comments and quickly fired back via his own social media page.
The 33-year-old forward took to Instagram to share a picture of himself holding the Champions League trophy, after Inter Milan’s success in 2009-10.
He confirmed that it was a response to the Swede by tagging his former team-mate on the post.
Balotelli also offered a further response after commenting on an Instagram post that shared Ibrahimovic’s original comments.
On the post, Balotelli wrote: ‘In Manchester you were scared and I wanted to win (on the pitch). The year after We won the Champions League anyway, but Zlatan, I still love you.’
Balotelli made the reference to the Nerazzurri’s defeat to Manchester United during the 2008-09 season, where both the Italian and Swede started up-front for Inter.
Ibramovic left Inter Milan the following summer, after securing a £40million move to Barcelona, and missed out on Inter’s 2009 Champions League success.
Balotelli stayed at Inter for one year longer than Ibrahimovic, and later moved to Manchester when he secured a £23million move to City.
On top of his Champions League success at Inter, Balotelli also won three Serie A titles, one Coppa Italia, one Premier League, and one FA Cup in his playing career.
At the end of September, Balotelli had his contract terminated at Swiss club Sion after just one season. He has since joined Adana Demirspor where’s managed to score two goals from his opening two Super Lig games.