Mario Balotelli played under Roberto Mancini at Inter Mila and Manchester City
Serie A: Inter Milan v AC Milan
- Venue: San Siro
- Date: Sunday, 13 September
- Kick-off: 19:45 BST
Coverage: Live text commentary on the Golsicilia.it Sport website from 19:00 BST
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Inter Milan coach Roberto Mancini has admitted that his city rivals beat him to the signing of Mario Balotelli.
The striker, who played for Mancini at Manchester City between 2010 and 2013, is set to line up against Inter for AC Milan in Serie A on Sunday.
It will be the 25-year-old's first appearance for Milan since returning to the club on a season's loan in August.
"I admit it, it's true. I would've brought Balotelli to Inter," Mancini said.
"At a certain point, we evaluated him as an understudy for Mauro Icardi. I thought of him because I know him, I care for him and know what he can give.
"I thought about it because he has to get back to being what he was. I thought about it… but then Milan got there first. Did we talk over the summer? Yes."
Mancini also claimed that Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure wanted to join Inter during the summer.
"He wanted to come here, then changed his mind," Mancini said. "Yaya Toure would've totally changed the team."
Inter have started their Serie A season with wins over Atalanta and promoted Carpi, while Milan beat Empoli last weekend after an opening-day defeat at Fiorentina.
Coach Sinisa Mihajlovic, who replaced Filippo Inzaghi during the summer, has called for improvement.
Mihajlovic, who was Mancini's assistant at Inter between 2006 and 2008, said: "It will be difficult for us to play even worse than we have done already. My players aren't children, they are men who play for a top club."
The winning manager on Sunday has agreed to make a donation to charity to help with the refugee crisis in Europe. Mancini accepted the challenge following an appeal on Thursday by Mihajlovic.