‘I hope Balotelli emulates Ibra’

Inter Coach Roberto Mancini compares his two star pupils Mario Balotelli and Zlatan Ibrahimovic and says he'd like to see young people ‘governing football’.

Il Mancio coached both unruly talents during his spells at Inter and Manchester City, and believes the Swede is a model for the current Liverpool man.

“Mario would like to emulate Ibrahimovic,” said Mancini at an event held at the Bocconi University in Milan, as reported by Fcinternews.it.

Inter Coach Roberto Mancini compares his two star pupils Mario Balotelli and Zlatan Ibrahimovic and says he'd like to see young people ‘governing football’.

Il Mancio coached both unruly talents during his spells at Inter and Manchester City, and believes the Swede is a model for the current Liverpool man.

“Mario would like to emulate Ibrahimovic,” said Mancini at an event held at the Bocconi University in Milan, as reported by Fcinternews.it.

“But Zlatan has a few more years and has accumulated a degree of experience, quality, class and strength that he [Balotelli] is yet to acquire, even though he's been playing for many years.

“Balotelli has that potential and no doubt they were extraordinary together back in the day.

“Mario was so young, now he dwells a bit too much on so many things.

“I hope and wish for him to become like Ibrahimovic.”

The former Sampdoria man also touched on the question of youth in Italian football.

“I'd like to see young people governing the federations. They sometimes make mistakes but they do them in good will.

“And mistakes just make you a better person. I think youth is our future, I always want to help them grow.”