Roberto Mancini has confirmed that Mario Balotelli's problems at Manchester City are due to a failure to settle in England.
Sportsmail revealed today that City's 20-year-old striker has told friends that he is chronically homesick and wants to return to his home country.
City are determined that coach Mancini can use his close personal bond with Balotelli to bring the £24million striker out of his shell, starting with this afternoon's game against Aston Villa in which the former Inter Milan man was handed a start.
But Mancini told Italian paper Gazzetta Dello Sport: 'He has to understand this country and this football before he can give his best.
'Mario is working on it and knows he has to do more for himself as well as for the team. When he assimilates this concept and makes use of his superior qualities, he'll become an important player.
'He can be decisive in every game, with any team. My assistant Brian Kidd has told me that Cristiano Ronaldo had Mario's same problems when he arrived at United and needed time to adjust.
'Mario is learning. Even a World Cup winner like (David) Silva struggled at the beginning. Silva has managed to, and now he's playing great.'
Balotelli has picked up five cards - four yellow and one red - in his 10 games for City and has scored the same number of goals. At times he has baffled City's staff and fans with his behaviour.
Dropped for the Boxing Day win at Newcastle, it is far from certain that he will start when City face Aston Villa at home in the Barclays Premier League on Tuesday afternoon.
One certain starter, though, is captain Carlos Tevez and Mancini claimed that the dispute over the South American's future is now over.
'That's the result of a fine work by our club,' he said. 'All sorted, crisis ended. He's one of the best strikers in the world, besides beeing a good person, with a really exceptional heart.
'Many clubs like Carlos, but he has a contract with City until 2014.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1342185/Mario-Balotelli-learn-Cristiano-Ronaldo-says-Roberto-Mancini.html#ixzz19RbdBR9t
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