Football
ESPN staff 8y

Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp was 'a piece of s---' to Mario Balotelli - Mino Raiola

Mario Balotelli's agent Mino Raiola has criticised Jurgen Klopp's treatment of the Italian striker at Liverpool, after he left to sign for Nice on a one-year contract.

Balotelli, 26, was left out of Liverpool's preseason tour and trained with the reserves as Klopp made it clear he was not part of his plans.

And Raiola, who also represents Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku among others, was upset by the way his client was handled.

"In the end, the higher-ups at Liverpool admitted that Klopp was wrong," Raiola told Gazzetta dello Sport.

"I'm not trying to judge him as a coach -- although, for me, he's not a good coach -- but he didn't understand that Balotelli is, whatever else, a person.

"Mario has been exemplary. He never complained about training alone. To say that it was wrong of Klopp would be an understatement, he was a piece of s--- about it."

Raiola claimed Balotelli had options across Europe but chose Nice as he believes he can relaunch his career in France after two frustrating seasons at Anfield.

"There were alternatives in Italy, in Germany, in England, in Spain, but we chose Nice," Raiola said. "The French league is interesting and there is attacking football.

"The national team is a theme that Mario likes a lot but today he should focus on Nice and their performances.

"If the national team needs him, well, we will do other things, but for now he must think only about returning to the field."

^ Back to Top ^