‘Balotelli failed at Liverpool because of jealous Gerrard’

EL-HADJI DIOUF has claimed that Mario Balotelli failed at Liverpool because of the ‘jealousy’ of former captain Steven Gerrard. Balotelli’s torrid time at Anfield came to an end on transfer deadline day when he moved to Nice on a free transfer. The controversial Italian striker scored twice on his debut for the Ligue 1 side on Sunday in a 3-2 victory over Marseille. Diouf is not surprised at how well Balotelli has started and believes if Gerrard hadn’t had so much influence, the striker would have been a success at his old club Liverpool. ‘I told Mario not to go to Liverpool,’ said the one-time Rangers forward in an interview with L’Equipe. ‘It wasn’t made for him. I told him things couldn’t go well with Gerrard, who has never had his talent and then said negative things about him. ‘Gerrard is a jealous man who doesn’t like men of character. Mario is a good man, no problems.’