Mario Balotelli Posts Mysterious Instagram Message After Liverpool Win

Mario Balotelli posted an intriguing Instagram post after Liverpool's win over Burnley on Wednesday night, saying "someone doesn't like me" before highlighting how proud he is of the improving Reds.

Elliott Bretland of the MailOnline suggests the Italian striker's "future at Liverpool was shrouded in mystery" with the post, which can be seen below:

Balotelli was an unused substitute during the 2-0 victory which keeps the Merseyside club in contention for a top-four place. He has started just 12 matches in all competitions all season, making eight appearances from the bench, per WhoScored.com. A total of three goals underlines why he isn't getting an opportunity to play more regularly.

Many will assume Brendan Rodgers is the man Balotelli refers to in his post. After watching Balotelli score a penalty in the Europa League round-of-16 first-leg win over Besiktas, Rodgers suggested the forward needs to work harder for his colleagues, per Andy Hunter of The Guardian:

"

We need to ensure that whatever level of the game we are playing at we have everyone working as a team and once we got the penalty he stops working. So he needs to improve on that facet of his game to play in his position, rather than standing on the side of the football field.

"

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The same incident forced captain Steven Gerrard—who missed the match through injury—to brand Balotelli "disrespectful" to Jordan Henderson, who he snatched the penalty from. "Mario's been a bit mischievous and gone against team codes," said the Liverpool skipper, per David Maddock of the Mirror.

Looking further afield, former Reds midfielder Ray Houghton provided analysis of Balotelli which could be linked to the player's post, per Russell Stoddart Goal.com: "He is not a 'team player' and has failed to adapt," said Houghton in November. "He needs to come short more often and get involved in the build-up, but he isn't doing that. This is not a big surprise, he was the same at Manchester City and both Milan clubs."

Balotelli's lack of output is highlighted whether he's on the pitch or not. Liverpool have found an exciting, fast-paced attacking style since Rodgers introduced 3-4-2-1, a formation which pushed Balotelli out of the side.

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The team can sweep forward with stars such as Raheem Sterling, Daniel Sturridge and Lazar Markovic offering width and a runner through the middle. With playmakers Philippe Coutinho and Adam Lallana pulling the strings behind, Liverpool's increased movement has naturally upped their tempo and allows for greater chances to be created.

Balotelli often remains stationary when he plays, underlining why he struggles to fit in with the team. B/R UK's Andy Brassell suggests Liverpool are the only side who can topple Manchester United for fourth:

It's likely Rodgers will attempt to do this with Balotelli in a bit-part role. Liverpool continue to play cracking football—finding something near the form they showed last season—with Rodgers prioritising the team over any one individual.

While Balotelli highlighted his support from the sidelines with his post, it seems someone around the club doesn't feel quite so "proud" of him.