Balotelli needs to learn from Santon: Mourinho

Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho blasted wayward teenage star Mario Balotelli again on Saturday, claiming the striker needs to learn from his team-mate Davide Santon.

Balotelli has found himself out in the first team wilderness this month after falling foul of Mourinho’s strict disciplinary code.

And now the former Chelsea boss has told him to learn from his fellow 18-year-old Santon, who recently broke into the team at left-back instead of Brazilian Maxwell.

“You need to be high profile on the pitch, not only off it,” Mourinho said about Balotelli, who has been making more noise off the pitch than on it recently.

Balotelli has been unhappy at his limited first team opportunities and wanted to move out on loan during January in search of a regular starting berth.

But Mourinho refused to let him leave, telling the forward he needed to stay and learn how to train properly. But during the week Balotelli walked out on the team.

“Fortunately Santon’s attitude helps him but that’s not the case with Mario,” Mourinho said. “Although, as I said, he’s a good kid. If anyone thinks I get some sort of enjoyment in leaving him out then they’d be wrong.”

Inter host Torino on Sunday hoping to extend their six-point lead at the top of the Serie A table.