Hart warns of Balotelli threat, ready for penalties

England goalkeeper Joe Hart has warned of the threat of Italy striker Mario Balotelli and has put himself forward as a penalty taker should it come to a shoot-out against Italy in the quarter-finals of Euro 2012. The keeper, who is one of three players in the England squad who are Balotelli’s team-mates at Manchester City, said yesterday the unpredictable striker was a potential danger man for the Azzurri. “He could be a great threat. I know him and Joleon Lescott knows him too. I’ve seen them battle it out in training many times and it will be interesting to see what he brings to the table,” Hart said. “He is what he is. There’s no acting with him, he does as he does.  When he’s on form, he’s a great player. They have some very good players and people we have to keep our eye on.” Hart’s comments echoed those of England and City team-mate James Milner, who with the keeper and defender Lescott have first-hand knowledge of the unpredictable 21-year-old Balotelli “There are two Marios,” said Milner. “There is the one who turns up sometimes in training when it is a bit cold and he is not too interested. The other one is when he really wants it and he is a special talent.” Balotelli came off the bench to score in the last minute for Italy in their 2-0 win over Ireland to secure the place in the last eight, while England topped group after beating Ukraine 1-0. The prospect of a penalty shoot-out in Kiev Sunday looms for two sides with a poor record in shoot-outs, and Hart said he would be happy to take a penalty if asked by manager Roy Hodgson. “If they let me, I would put my name forward 100 per cent,” he said. “Hopefully it won’t come to that but I would back myself in a tournament. If penalties are required then so be it.” Hart said he practised taking penalties as much as the rest of the team and he would be studying how Italian players take their spot kicks ahead of Sunday’s match in Kiev. “I do my research, I know where all the Italian players put their penalties,” he said. “I watch it (the video) on my own. I watch it quite late in the day.” Hart scored for England from the spot in a 5-4 penalty win over Sweden in Gothenburg in the semi-final of the under-21 European Championship in 2009. Hodgson has ordered extra penalty practice for England, who are attempting to reach the last four of a major finals for the first time since Euro 96. England have gone out on penalties in five of their past nine tournaments. Italy’s record is hardly better, winning twice in seven attempts at shoot-outs. At Euro 2008 they went out 4-2 on penalties to eventual winners Spain, but they did win the 2006 World Cup final  against France on spot-kicks. Meanwhile, Manchester United’s Ashley Young was able to train after fears he could be sidelined by a knock to the shin during Tuesday’s victory over Ukraine in Donetsk. “All 22 players either trained or did recovery work,” an FA spokesman said following a closed training session.