Balotelli Blow for Manchester City

Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli has been told to rest his injured knee for a month and could need more surgery.

Roberto Mancini has admitted the injury to Manchester City's summer signing, from Inter Milan, is worrying him as the 20 year old has already missed a large part of the season after surgery when he damaged his knee on his debut against Timisoara.

Balotelli hasn't played since scoring a hat-trick against Aston Villa on 28th December and now Mancini thinks it's a recurring problem. City's medical staff have advised Balotelli to rest for four weeks and then start training again in the belief that will sort the problem, but Mancini is not happy at the situation.

"Mario's knee is not good," Mancini said. "I don't know [about surgery] at this moment but he must rest for three to four weeks. "It is the same knee and I am worried because it is strange that he had an operation and now, after two months back, he has another problem with it. "I am worried because I never expected him to have to rest for another four weeks, especially at such an important time in the season when we must play so many important games."