Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has warned Mario Balotelli that he should listen to his Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini if he wants to progress in his career.

Mourinho worked with the Italian striker during his two years as the Inter Milan coach between 2008 and 2010, and shared a difficult relationship with the 22-year-old.

"Mancini was his first coach as a professional, so before me," the Portuguese told CNN. "So for sure the same feeling I have, Mancini has probably even more than Mario.

"You know, Mario was 18 with Mancini at Inter and he was 20 with me. Now, he should be 22, so the natural tendency is that he grows up and becomes the player that the talent he has.

"I've no contact with Mario in this moment, but I hope so. I hope so, and Roberto knows him well, speaks the same language, knows him since he was a kid, so if he doesn't do it with Roberto, it will be difficult to do with another one, but I hope so because he's a talent."

Mourinho added that Balotelli is a "funny kid".

"I could write a book of 200 pages of my two years at Inter with Mario, but the book would be not a drama, the book would be a comedy because he is funny, he's a funny kid," he said.

Balotelli joined City from Inter in the summer of 2010.