Mancini: ‘Balotelli can be better than Torres’

Roberto Mancini believes Manchester City new boy Mario Balotelli can be better than Fernando Torres.

The £24million signing from Inter Milan will face the Spanish superstar at Eastlands on Monday night, and the Eastlands boss reckons the 20-year-old could eventually eclipse the Liverpool striker.

He said: "Balotelli could be as good as Torres and even better.

"Torres can only play as a striker, but Balotelli can play as striker and a winger. He has a different attitude."

Balotelli made an instant impression for City by scoring on his debut in a Europa League qualifier against Timisoara last week and he will be looking to continue that when he make his Premier League bow against the Reds.

Mancini added: ";The defenders do not know much about him [Balotelli], but they will see he can change everything about a game.

"I saw him four years ago when I was at Inter Milan. He was 16 or 17. It was the last five games of the Serie A championship. We had [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic injured and we played Mario inside and he played like someone who was 30 years old.

"That's because he has good technique, he has everything."