Five reasons Liverpool forward Mario Balotelli has matured this season

Liverpool have been dumped out of the Europa League after losing a penalty shootout against Besiktas and ironically, the one player who could have probably saved them in said shootout was on the bench after being taken off by his manager.

Brendan Rodgers loves a scapegoat and Mario Balotelli has been the perfect one for him this season – and you have to wonder what Rodgers will do when the forward leaves the club, because you can bet your subscription to the History Channel – sorry, LFC TV – that it will not be to analyse his own failings.

Balotelli still has his faults, and big ones at that – but he has improved this season and is showing an increased maturity many thought him incapable of and here are five reasons we are impressed with the forward.

Click on Balotelli himself to see why we think he has matured this season.

Liverpool fans. Do you think Balotelli has matured or is this all an act that will fall soon enough? Let us know your thoughts below, become a guest blogger or tweet us @LaFootyettes.