The Liverpool boss has been unimpressed with the training ground work ethic of Mario Balotelli…
Brendan Rodgers has told under-fire Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli that he must work harder in training if he is to win back his place in the side.
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The controversial Italian didn’t even make the bench for Saturday’s FA Cup draw with Bolton Wanderers, with Rodgers admitting that Balotelli has not been good enough to deserve a spot in the team.
Speaking to BBC Sport, the Reds boss said: “He knows exactly what is required to be in this squad before he can be in the team.
“I am judging it every day in training – Mario is exactly the same as every other player, there is no special treatment for anyone.
“Fabio Borini and Rickie Lambert are working tirelessly in training and when they go on they have contributed and young Jordan Rossiter, on the bench today, has been brilliant in training and I have to judge it on that.
“If you want to contribute you have to be at it every single day in training in order to be in the squad on matchday.
“It is difficult for him [Balotelli] but he knows the level of [where] this team is at – you see the aggression in our pressing and if you can’t do that you are not going to be a part of what this team is trying to achieve.
“We had an hour or so yesterday chatting and he understands where he is at.”