Mario Balotelli and Liverpool were a match not exactly made in heaven and after the striker finally left the club in a permanent transfer to Nice on transfer window deadline day, the Italy international broke his silence over his time at Anfield on Sunday.
After scoring two goals for his new club in 3-2 win over Marseille in Ligue 1, Balotelli admitted life at Liverpool was nowhere in the vicinity of "ideal."
Balotelli, who has never quite been able to fulfil his potential, owing largely to his perceived attitude, scored his first goal for Nice in just the seventh minute of this French league match, from the penalty spot. He then went on to complete his brace in the second half to ensure his side would come out on the winning side. That second goal also meant he would surpass his league goals total at Liverpool, where he netted just one in his entire stay.
But, the question after the match for Balotelli was always going to be about his unsuccessful stint with Liverpool, when Brendan Rodgers bought him from AC Milan for £16 million in 2014.
The former Manchester City striker did not mince any words when describing his time with the Premier League club.
"I joined Liverpool and it was the worst mistake of my life," Balotelli told reporters. "Apart from the fans, who were fantastic with me, I must be honest, and the players, who I had a good rapport with, I didn't like the club.
"I had two coaches, Brendan Rodgers and Jurgen Klopp. As people they didn't make a good impression on me. I didn't get along with them."
Balotelli's agent Mino Raiola was pretty critical of Klopp after finally brokering a move for his client on the deadline day, saying his player was never given a proper chance by the current Liverpool manager.
"At the end of the day, he was a player of Liverpool and you need to treat him with respect," Raiola said last week. "And he [Klopp] didn't do that.
"Mario asked several times to have a friendly match. You can train all you want but, at the end of the day, you need 90 minutes, you need a friendly. He never considered him for 60 days.
"I'm not judging him as a trainer – I don't like him as a trainer at all – but you have to let him play."
The various failures that Balotelli has suffered in his career might have broken the confidence of most, but the striker remains convinced of his ability.
"Of course. It's not too late," Balotelli said when Olivier Dacourt, the former France player, asked the 26-year-old if he is still capable of winning the Ballon d'Or. "I think I could have already won it by now, but by working hard in training I could still win it in the next two or three years."
