Mario Balotelli and Felipe Melo fired back at stinging criticism from Juventus and Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini.
Chiellini was scathing of his former team-mates – the Juve captain accusing Balotelli of being "a negative person", while adding the Italian forward deserved a slap during the 2013 Confederations Cup.
Brescia star Balotelli hit back at the comments made in Chiellini's new autobiography via social media on Saturday.
"At least I have the sincerity and courage to say things to your face," Balotelli wrote on Instagram, tagging Chiellini.
"Since 2013 you've had a lot of chances to act like a real man, but you haven't. Who knows what you'll say one day about your current team-mates.
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"A strange captain... if this is what being a champion is then I'd prefer not to be one. I've never disrespected the Azzurri shirt."
