Roberto Mancini: "Mario should always play.
"He is the best and, with him, the national team is much stronger.
"Italy are much stronger if Balotelli plays.
"If you look at the other day, he (Balotelli) came on, made an impact in the game and scored a splendid goal.
"I don't want to steal Prandelli's job because he is doing very well, but I consider Mario the best Italian striker.
"Mario is a champion and champions help you to win things.
"(Antonio) Cassano is a second striker and Di Natale is good but has different characteristics with respect to Balotelli."
Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart: "I don't think it's particularly on-field people who push his buttons. e won't try and wind him up.
"If anything were to happen, it's usually the situations around it.
"He's quite an extravagant guy.
"I think Mario accepts, with the way he is, that sometimes he's going to bring attention to himself.
"But he has got broad shoulders and whatever's written about him will not affect him and I know that, I know that personally.
"People can keep writing. He wasn't bothered that things were made up about him because he lets things just kind of slide off.
"He is what he is, Mario.
"I think you just come to love the guy because of what he is.
"There's no acting with him. He just does as he does. And when he's on form football-wise, he's a great player."