Milan boss Mihajlovic says Balotelli 'needs to improve mentally'

On loan at AC Milan from Liverpool, Mario Balotelli's second spell with the Serie A giants has been anything but a breeze, with manager Sinisa Mihajlovic expressing his concern with the Italian international's mental fortitude.

"I think that Balotelli’s physical condition is good, but psychologically he's not quite there yet. He needs to improve mentally, but that has always been his problem," Mihajlovic told reporters.

"He has been training regularly for two months now, so physically he should be fine."

Hoping to revive a career that had become stagnant under Brendan Rodgers at Liverpool, the 25-year-old striker was loaned to Milan in the summer. There is precedent for Balotelli's successes at the San Siro, though his second tenure with the club has been the opposite of his 26 goals in 43 appearances in 2013-14.

The 33-time capped international has made just 13 appearances this season - and only three starts - scoring just the one goal for Mihajlovic's sixth-place Rossoneri.

"Improvement depends on him, we all want to help him. First of all, he has to help himself. He has to be more present and do what we ask of him more consistently," Mihajlovic said.