Trapattoni: Balotelli will realise he has wasted his career

The striker joined Liverpool this summer from AC Milan in a €20 million return to the Premier League, having left Manchester City 18 months earlier.

The ex-Inter striker failed to impress consistently at the San Siro, despite a flying start, and by the end of his spell back in Milan the general frustration surrounding Balotelli sped up his transfer to Anfield.

Again, however, Balotelli has fallen short of expecations. Since his arrival he has only scored twice – once in the Champions League and once in the Capital One Cup – leading many to question why Brendan Rodgers thought the Italian could fill Luis Suarez's boots.

And Trapattoni, who has trained his fair share of world-class talents and egos during his 40-year coaching career, believes that the 24-year-old will eventually regret his antics on and off the field.

"I do not know how Balotelli's career will pan out in the future," the former Juventus and Bayern Munich boss told La Nazione. "But I know that when he hangs up his boots he will realise the many opportunities he has wasted."

Balotelli has missed the last six games for Liverpool after picking up an injury in November, suffered while training with Italy's squad for the first time since Antonio Conte was handed the international reins.

While sidelined the Italian has still managed to make the headlines, however, causing controversy by leaving a post on his Instagram deemed by some to be racist, resulting in an FA investigation.