Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers to deal with Mario Balotelli's shirt swap

Posted Thursday, October 23, 2014 by skysports.com

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers to deal with Mario Balotelli's shirt swap
Mario Balotelli: Drew another blank against Real Madrid

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers vowed to "deal with" Mario Balotelli after the striker swapped his shirt at half-time during Real Madrid's 3-0 Champions League win at Anfield.

Balotelli was seen exchanging shirts with Real defender Pepe as the pair headed down the tunnel at the break - after Real had raced ahead thanks to three goals in 18 first-half minutes.

The Italy international was replaced at the interval by Adam Lallana and though Rodgers claimed he was unaware of the incident, he warned he would take action.

"That's the first I've heard (about Balotelli swapping his shirt) and I wouldn't like it," Rodgers told Sky Sports.

"It's something that doesn't happen here, it shouldn't happen here.

"We had a case of a player doing that last season which I dealt with and if that's the case again I'll deal with it again."

Balotelli, who was tipped to be dropped from the starting line-up in the build-up to the Real game, began the match at Anfield, but again failed to make an impact in the first half before being replaced by Lallana.

Rodgers insists the change was purely tactical as Balotelli drew another blank in front of goal, leaving him with one goal since his arrival from AC Milan.

"His substitution was just tactical," noted Rodgers. "I felt we needed a bit more intensity and I thought Adam Lallana came on and did very well."

Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti was more laid back about the shirt-swapping, telling reporters: "I think it is nothing new. Sometimes the players change their shirt at half-time with the opponent. I don't see a problem."