Mario Balotelli 'returned to pre-season training 12kgs overweight, still not fit'

Balotelli, 28, has made two appearances this season – one for Nice and one for Italy – but was substituted in both fixtures.

The former Inter Milan and Liverpool star was heavily criticised for his performance in the Azzurri’s fixture with Poland last Friday, with Zbigniew Boniek, head of the Polish Football Association (PZPN), damning in his criticism.

"Balotelli was not prepared for a match like that from a physical point of view," Boniek said to state broadcaster RAI.

The forward was left out of Italy’s next match, Monday's UEFA Nations League match away at Portugal, and L'Equipe report that the player remains out of shape.

Balotelli served a three-game suspension at the start of the season, meaning his first league appearance came in Nice’s 1-0 win against Lyon on August 31, and Nice boss Patrick Vieira alluded to issues with his fitness post match.

"You saw that he's not yet ready to play 90 minutes. He still has a lot of work to do," Vieira said.

"We'll have to be patient with him, because unfortunately he didn't do the start of preseason training."

The 28-year-old had been expected to move to Marseille over the summer but the move fell through.