Inter Milan boss Roberto Mancini believes that Mario Balotelli needs to realise that he is "wasting everything" if he is to prevent his career from plummeting.
Mancini managed Balotelli, who has scored just twice since his £16m move to Liverpool from AC Milan in the summer, at both Inter and Manchester City.
The Italian boss fears that Balotelli's career could go down the route of Brazilian Adriano, who is now playing for Le Havre in Ligue 2.
"I have not heard from Mario since we worked together at Manchester City," Mancini told Corriere della Sera. "He was still a kid when we were together at Inter. He would do anything I asked him and he also behaved well at City.
"It has all gone downward a bit since he left City. I thought he would do well at Milan, but it didn't happen. Mario is at risk of following the same path as Adriano. I hope that he wakes up one morning and realises that he is wasting everything."
Balotelli has been linked with a move away from Anfield, just four months after moving to Merseyside.