Roberto Mancini admits he has a “weak spot” for Mario Balotelli after handing the forward the chance to resurrect his international career.
“I have had the luck to have him when he was a lad, he was 17 years old and he had incredible qualities, and we put him in the team,” Mancini said. “He scored important goals in that year, in the last league games, to win it.
“And he is also the same age of my sons, therefore, like all lads of that age, one can have a weak spot.
After nearly four years out in the cold, the 27 year old is back involved again with Italy and started the friendlies against Saudi Arabia and France.