AC Milan manager Massimiliano Allegri has told Mario Balotelli that it is time to grow up following his three-match suspension for antagonising officials last weekend.

Balotelli picked up the suspension for arguing with officials over a penalty decision following Milan's 2-1 defeat to Napoli, with the forward sent off after the full-time whistle.

Milan have decided not to appeal and Allegri has admitted that he has yet to decide a suitable punishment for Balotelli, imploring the striker to learn from his mistakes.

He told reporters: "Mario has made a mistake, penalizing the team, club and the fans and he must change this. Balotelli should help referees to protect him because if another player had suffered the fouls he did on Sunday then they would have whistled.

"Mario is 23-years-old, he is no longer a child and to be a champion you have to have a correct behavior because you are an example for all those who look up to you. I hope for him he benefits from it and realizes that put team and club is in difficulty.

"You have to go on the pitch thinking about doing well. When you finish the game you need to go in the dressing room, accept what happened and think of working to do better. The club will decide what to do about Mario."

Allegri must now add Balotelli to a long list of absentees ahead of tomorrow night's trip to Bologna in Serie A.