{"id":309244,"date":"2025-08-01T12:31:11","date_gmt":"2025-08-01T12:31:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/309244\/"},"modified":"2025-08-01T12:31:11","modified_gmt":"2025-08-01T12:31:11","slug":"lucas-leiva-says-16m-attacker-used-to-be-so-bad-in-liverpool-training-he-was-the-worst","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/309244\/","title":{"rendered":"Lucas Leiva says \u00a316m attacker used to be so bad in Liverpool training, he was the worst"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Liverpool are the most successful club in English football history, and you don\u2019t get to that point without having incredibly high standards.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Indeed, the Reds have been operating at the very highest level for decades at this point, and every player who pulls on that famous shirt is expected to give it their all.<\/p>\n

However, sadly, it doesn\u2019t always work out like that.<\/p>\n

Some players don\u2019t quite fit the ethos of Liverpool. Dietmar Hamman was a poor trainer<\/a>, even though he was a great player, while El Hadji Diouf had attitude problems<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Speaking to The Redmen TV, Lucas Leiva<\/a> has been asked to name who the worst trainer he played with at Liverpool was, and his answer wasn\u2019t all that surprising.<\/p>\n

\"MarioPhoto credit should read PAUL ELLIS\/AFP via Getty ImagesMario Balotelli was terrible in training<\/p>\n

According to Lucas Leiva, the worst player he ever saw in Liverpool training was Mario Balotelli.<\/p>\n

The striker joined Liverpool for \u00a316m<\/a> back in 2015, and it\u2019s fair to say he didn\u2019t have a great time at Anfield.<\/p>\n

@theredmentv_<\/a> <\/p>\n

Dan asked Lucas Leiva which Liverpool teammate was the best trainer and what his favourite moment was, in our quick-fire questions \u26a1\ufe0f @DiscoverHongKong \ud83e\udd1d\ud83c\udded\ud83c\uddf0 LucasLeiva LFC TheRedmenTV<\/p>\n

\u266c original sound \u2013 The Redmen TV<\/a> <\/p><\/blockquote>\n

View TikTok<\/p>\n

Jamie Carragher knew Balotelli would flop from day one<\/a>, and, sadly, it seems like his famed attitude issues cropped up in training at times.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho was the worst trainer you played with at Liverpool?\u201d Lucas was asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cBalotelli,\u201d Lucas said.<\/p>\n

Mario Balotelli should\u2019ve done better at Liverpool<\/p>\n

Balotelli was said to be poor in Liverpool training according to Lucas, but, according to Ian Graham, speaking on the High Performance Podcast, Balotelli\u2019s time at Liverpool was more marred by bad luck than anything else.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe didn\u2019t really misbehave at Liverpool. He was just not really trusted, not given the opportunity. I don\u2019t want to sort of say it\u2019s all the manager\u2019s fault or all Balotelli\u2019s fault. He just didn\u2019t get the opportunity. Didn\u2019t produce at Liverpool in the same way he produced at other clubs,\u201d Graham said.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe didn\u2019t get on the pitch in the same way that Mohamed didn\u2019t get on the pitch at Chelsea. Funnily enough, looking back at it, I mean, I\u2019m happy to talk about failure and this is not an excuse, but if you look at that expected goals to actual goals, it was Mario\u2019s unluckiest season by far. He\u2019s got like one league goal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Balotelli was a seriously talented player, who, under the right circumstances, could\u2019ve been a star in the Premier League.<\/p>\n

However, sadly, things didn\u2019t work out for the Italian at Liverpool and he\u2019ll always be remembered at Anfield as something of a flop.<\/p>\n