Balotelli prefers Pio Esposito over Camarda and was ‘more consistent’ than Rafael Leao | OneFootball

Mario Balotelli picks Francesco Pio Esposito over Francesco Camarda and feels he was ‘more consistent’ than Milan star Rafael Leao.

Balotelli was one of the guests at the Festival dello Sport over the weekend, when he got to talk about Italian and Serie A strikers, starting with his former Inter teammate Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

“He’s a pain in the a**, but he is because he cares about you. If he wouldn’t, he would not say anything,” said the former Inter and Milan striker.

Balotelli: I was technically stronger than Ibrahimovic

AC Milan senior advisor Zlatan Ibrahimovic smiles prior to the Italian Serie A football match between Unione Sportiva Sassuolo and AC Milan at the Mapei Stadium in Reggio Emilia, on April 14, 2024. (Photo by Piero CRUCIATTI / AFP) (Photo by PIERO CRUCIATTI/AFP via Getty Images)

“He was stronger than me mentally, but I was better from a technical standpoint.”

When asked to compare Inter’s Lautaro Martinez and Milan’s Rafael Leao, Balotelli said: “Right now, Lautaro is more ruthless, and Leao is more of a talent.

“He [Leao] is a force of nature. If he understands that he can do well, also for himself, there aren’t many as strong as he is. Probably, I was more consistent, but if he understands this, he’s too strong.”

Leao has only made two Serie A appearances as a substitute this season, having recently recovered from a calf injury he sustained in August during a Coppa Italia game against Bari.

Balotelli picks Pio Esposito over Camarda

Francesco Pio Esposito celebrates his first senior Italy goal against Estonia (@azzurri)

Lastly, Balotelli was asked to pick one between emerging Italian strikers Pio Esposito, 20, and Camarda, 17.

“I say Pio. He’s really strong,” Balotelli concluded.

Balotelli, 35, is currently without a club after spending most of the 2024-25 campaign at Genoa.

The Italian centre-forward scored 52 goals in 147 Serie A matches with Inter, Milan, Brescia and the Grifone.

A Euro 2012 Finalist, Balotelli won the Champions League and three Scudetti with Inter and the Premier League title with Manchester City.