• Europa League

Balotelli has to change - De Jong

Mario Balotelli skied an easy chance in the first five minutes against Dynamo Kiev © Getty Images

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Nigel de Jong has backed Mario Balotelli to bounce back from the difficult night he suffered against Dynamo Kiev on Thursday.

Balotelli's evening got off to a terrible start when he missed an open goal in the early stages, and then he saw red for raking his studs down Goran Popov's chest during an aerial duel on 36 minutes.

Although City went on to win the tie 1-0, with Alexander Kolarov scoring their goal, they were eliminated from the Europa League with a 2-1 aggregate defeat - and boss Roberto Mancini laid the blame at Balotelli's door.

It was the latest in a series of misdemeanours from the surly Italian, who has infuriated and excelled since joining from Inter Milan in the summer, with five yellow cards and six goals on his Premier League CV.

Now De Jong has urged the City hierarchy not to lose faith in the 20-year-old, who cost City £24 million. "Tomorrow is a new day and I am sure we are going to sit down with Mario," he said. "He has got to realise he has to change how he plays because he is always going to be a marked man. He knows that.

"We have to continue with him as well. He has a lot of potential, the skill he shows at times is unbelievable. He is a talented boy and maybe you do not intend to let your team down with those sort of things. But I told him as well you have got to learn from your mistakes.

"We are there to help him, not to criticise him or blast him away. He has experienced guys around him and has to listen to them. After the game he was angry and he was disappointed. Sometimes you make mistakes and Mario made his mistake. But he will get everything straight again."

Balotelli has also suffered the ignominy of becoming an internet sensation after struggling to put on a bib prior to the Kiev clash.

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