Mario Balotelli sends message to Italy boss Roberto Mancini after complaints about lack of strikers

Mario Balotelli has hit back at Italy boss Robert Mancini's complaints about a lack of available strikers, insisting that 'there are strikers in Italy, and they are fit.'

Balotelli took to Instagram to make his feelings known after Mancini had complained of the lack of attacking options available to his side ahead of their UEFA European Championship qualifier with England on Thursday night.

Injury to regular number nine Ciro Immobile left the 58-year-old with limited options to spearhead the Azzurri's attack:

"I have no idea why so few forwards come out. we are really very limited in the offensive department.

"We have three teams in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, but out of three teams, there are seven or eight Italians at the most. This is the reality."

Argentinian born Mateo Retegui was given the nod by Mancini in Naples, but despite scoring on his debut for his nation, Mancini's side fell to a 2-1 defeat as they got off to a slow start in their bid to qualify for the 2024 European Championships.

But Balotelli - who won the Premier League under the tutelage of Robert Mancini - took to Instagram on Saturday morning to hit back at his former manager, declaring that there are fit strikers in Italy, seemingly hinting at his availability for selection:

"There are strikers in Italy and they are fit, trust me."

Balotelli - who currently plies his trade in the Swiss Super League with FC Sion - went on to add:

"Regret is the feeling of those who regularly don’t learn the lesson and get there once it’s all finished. Or simply, they never get there."

Balotelli has scored five goals in 17 appearances in all competitions for FC Sion this season, his side currently sit in 10th place in the Swiss Super League.

The 32-year-old - who famously scored twice against Germany in the semi-finals of the 2012 European Chamionships - has made 36 appearances for the Azzurri over the course of his career, scoring 14 goals in the process.

Balotelli's last Italian call-up came in 2018, when he started in a UEFA Nations League match against Italy.