Roberto Mancini has lamented the 'disappointing' and dramatic career downward spiral of Mario Balotelli after his former player punched a team-mate.
Sportsmail reported last month that the volatile Italian hit his Adana Demirspor team-mate, livid with being substituted.
And Mancini told RAI Sport that it was a sad state of affairs for anyone who knew him that Balotelli has not fulfilled his vast potential.
He said: 'I worked with Balotelli when he was young and did really well. He was and still is in terms of technique a great player. Let's not forget he is 31 years old, so ought to be at his peak.
'Clearly, it was disappointing for all of us who knew him as a person and a player that in the last five or six years he was unable to do what he was capable of doing.'
Balotelli made headlines on August 29, coming off in the 56th minute at home against Konyaspor and then lashing out.
He threw his shinpads on the floor, yelled at a coach and team-mate and then struck out at the latter, but his team-mate did not react.
The 31-year-old joined the Turkish Super Lig side after leaving second-tier Serie B side AC Monza this summer, yet to score in three appearances, and has bounced around several clubs including Nice, Marseille and Brescia in the last three seasons.
Balotelli did well under Mancini at Inter Milan but was pushed out by his successor Jose Mourinho due to disciplinary problems, then infamously had a run-in with Mancini in Manchester City training and fell out of favour there as well.