Zlatan Ibrahimovic: 'Mario Balotelli makes people smile'

By Subhankar Mondal, Reporter | 03 January 2013

Ibrahimovic: 'Balotelli makes people smile'

Zlatan Ibrahimovic says that Mario Balotelli makes people around him smile and backs Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini to get the best out of him.

Paris Saint-Germain forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic has claimed that Manchester City's Mario Balotelli makes people around him feel happy.

The 31-year-old Swede played alongside the 22-year-old striker at Inter Milan from 2007 until 2009.

"If you ever spend any time with Mario then you love Mario," he told the Daily Mail. "Even though he is not always the easiest player for the coach to manage, speak to any of his old coaches like Jose [Mourinho] and they will tell you when you work with Mario you always have a smile on your face.

"I tried to help Mario because it is true he does sometimes make decisions in the moment – but that is his personality.

"Roberto [Mancini] will know the same as me that the way to get the best out of Mario is to love him. That is what he will react best to – and if they can get Mario playing at his best then Manchester City still have a big chance."

Balotelli joined City from Inter in the summer of 2010.