OMNISPORT

Mario Balotelli and Brendan Rodgers are seemingly both unconcerned by the assertion that sarcasm is the lowest form of wit.

Rodgers took a chance on signing Balotelli from AC Milan for Liverpool in 2014, with the enigmatic striker going on to endure a nightmare season at Anfield.

Balotelli scored once in 16 Premier League games as he proved a wholly inadequate replacement for Luis Suarez and returned to San Siro on loan a year later.

Rodgers was sacked early on in the 2015-16 campaign, but both men have gone about rebuilding their reputations this term – Balotelli netting 14 Ligue 1 goals for Nice, while Rodgers' Celtic are unbeaten domestically and a game away from winning the Scottish treble.

Nevertheless, their ill-fated alliance on Merseyside still apparently leaves a bad taste.

Speaking at Celtic's end-of-season-awards event, Rodgers was asked who was the best player he had ever coached.

"Mario Balotelli… he was a fantastic player," the 44-year-old responded.

Italy international Balotelli then took to Twitter to offer similarly false praise of the Northern Irishman.

"Brendan Rodgers you are also the best manager I ever had," he tweeted. "Amazing."