Football
Ben Gladwell, Italy correspondent 9y

Mario Balotelli wants to imitate Zlatan Ibrahimovic, says Roberto Mancini

Inter Milan coach Roberto Mancini said Mario Balotelli wants to imitate Zlatan Ibrahimovic even though Balotelli's career has so far failed to follow the same path.

The former Manchester City manager had both players at his disposal during his first spell as Inter coach, while it was Ibrahimovic who helped him win the Serie A title with two goals in Parma on the final day of the 2007-08 season.

Balotelli was equally talented, according to Mancini, but for some reason he has not developed in the same way.

"He has had the possibilities to do so," Mancini told BocconiTV. "I think he wants to imitate Zlatan, who has gained a level of experience and quality which [Balotelli] still has to find, even though he's been playing for many years now. He and Ibra were outstanding together and I sincerely hope that he does manage to become like Zlatan."

Mancini's words are not intended as criticism of a player he thanked for helping him win the Premier League title with City in a dramatic 3-2 win over QPR in 2011-12.

"That was so satisfying because we Italians are not really regarded that highly in England," Mancini added. "It was not quite like at Parma with Inter, but almost because we were 2-1 down in the last minute and, at the time, I remember thinking that it could not end that way.

"We dominated that season, leading by eight points before falling eight points behind with five games to go.

"It's not so easy to catch [Manchester] United up, but in two minutes, we turned it all around. Thanks to Sergio Aguero and Edin Dzeko in addition to Mario Balotelli, who did a great thing by setting up Aguero while sliding in, we managed to win it."

Maninci picked up the Turkish Cup with Galatasaray last season, and now he is back at Inter, hoping to enjoy similar success to his first spell on the Nerazzurri bench, even though he does not entirely know why he agreed to return.

"I was feeling really great, planning my holidays already and preparing to celebrate my 50th birthday," he said. "I don't know why I made this choice because I don't think you should ever go back to where you had a good time before, but maybe the affection I had for Inter, where I spent four years, led to me accepting."

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