Brendan Rodgers jokes Liverpool flop Mario Balotelli is the best player he has coached

Balotelli only managed one goal in his single season at Anfield

Rodgers has turned his career around since leaving Liverpool (Getty)

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has joked that Mario Balotelli is the best player he has ever coached while at the club’s awards evening.

Rodgers has guided Celtic to the Scottish Premiership title in his first season, securing it back in April, as his side have gone unbeaten throughout the season with only four games remaining.

The have also only drawn four of their 34 games this season – three of which have come in their last seven games – and are on course for breaking the 100-point, and break their own record-points tally for a season.

He also led Celtic to the Scottish League Cup in November and will contest the Scottish Cup final later this month.

And at the end-of-season awards, Rodgers, while doing a question and answer session, was asked “Who is the best player you have ever coached?”

Mario Balotelli has 14 goals for Nice this season (Getty)

Rodgers joked in response: “Mario Balotelli… he was a fantastic player.”

Balotelli spent just one season at Liverpool before being sent out on loan to AC and only managed one goal in 16 Premier League games.

However, since joining Nice, the 26-year-old has managed an impressive 14 goals in 18 starts in Ligue 1 to propel his side to third in the table.