OUTCLASSED! Mario Balotelli gets shirty but Brendan Rodgers is told 'you are at fault'
MARIO BALOTELLI is facing another dressing down today from Brendan Rodgers after Liverpool succumbed to a masterclass from Cristiano Ronaldo and Real Madrid.
Steven Gerrard (right) is left dejected as Cristiano Ronaldo swaggers back to the centre circle[GETTY]
But Liverpool manager Rodgers received stinging criticism for signing Balotelli, who will be taken to task for swapping shirts, below, with Real defender Pepe at half-time in their chastening 3-0 defeat at Anfield.
Balotelli was substituted at the break after Ronaldo’s 70th Champions League goal and a brace from Karim Benzema ended the tie as a contest inside 45 minutes, condemning Liverpool to the heaviest home loss in their European history.
Last night TV pundit Jamie Redknapp put all the blame firmly on the shoulders of the Liverpool boss when he said: “I don’t blame Mario Balotelli, I blame Brendan Rodgers for bringing him here. How he thought he could turn around a player who Jose Mourinho, Roberto Mancini and Cesare Prandelli have all washed their hands of.
“There’s a reason when you go to the supermarket and something is half price. Why on earth they went for him, I’ll never know. They should’ve just left him alone.”
Rodgers cracked down on Mamadou Sakho and Philippe Coutinho last season when they swapped shirts with Chelsea players at the interval of a defeat at Stamford Bridge and Balotelli is facing another rap across the knuckles.
Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates his spectacular goal [AP]
There’s a reason when you go to the supermarket and something is half price
Jamie Redknapp
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“I had a similar incident last year and it was dealt with internally,” said Rodgers. “It’s exactly the same. I heard about it when I came off pitch.
“It’s something you do at the end of the game and something I will deal with tomorrow.
“It was purely a tactical change to take him off.”
Ronaldo, who is one goal away from equaling Raul’s Champions League record, believes Real can become the first team to retain the title. “It was a special night,” he said. “It was my first goal here and I feel very proud.
“Why can’t we retain it? We are positive and I think it will be possible if we play like that.”