Mario Balotelli: Swapped shirts with Pepe at half-time

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has vowed to "deal with" Mario Balotelli after the striker swapped shirts with a Real Madrid player at half-time during their Champions League defeat at Anfield.

Balotelli was seen making the exchange with Madrid defender Pepe as the pair headed down the tunnel, after Real had raced into a 3-0 lead thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo and two goals from Karim Benzema.

Italy international Balotelli was replaced at the interval by Adam Lallana and, after being made aware of the footage by the media, Rodgers warned he would take action.

Mario Balotelli swaps shirts with Pepe at half time, as Livepool trail 3-0 to Real Madrid at Anfield. Mario Balotelli swaps shirts with Pepe at half time, as Livepool trail 3-0 to Real Madrid at Anfield.

"That's the first I've heard about it and I wouldn't like it," Rodgers told Sky Sports.

"It's something that doesn't happen here, it shouldn't happen here.

"We had a case of a player doing that last season, which I dealt with, and if that's the case again then I'll deal with it again."

Balotelli, who was expected to be dropped, made a suprise start but continued his indifferent form and did not emerge from the tunnel for the second half.

Brendan Rodgers wasn't pleased to hear Mario Balotelli swapped shirts at half time with Pepe Brendan Rodgers wasn't pleased to hear Mario Balotelli swapped shirts at half time with Pepe

Rodgers insists the change was purely tactical but Balotelli remains on just the single one goal he has scored since joining from AC Milan in the summer.

And the Reds boss bemoaned yet more defensive errors, which have left them in a difficult situation in Group B ahead of away ties at Real Madrid and Ludogorets.

"I felt we needed a bit more intensity and I thought Adam Lallana came on and did very well," Rodgers said.

Jamie Carragher says he'd be surprised if Mario Balotelli stays at Liverpool next season Jamie Carragher says he'd be surprised if Mario Balotelli stays at Liverpool next season

"We made an excellent start for the first 20 minutes but after they got that first goal, they showed their quality.

"We defended poorly on one or two of the goals but I can't ask for any more - we probably needed to get a goal in that opening period.

"In the second half we were playing for pride, the players kept going, they didn't stop - they were playing against a top-quality team.

"We'll look at it and learn but we were punished by a top-class side."

Watch Real Madrid take on Barcelona in the first El Clasico of the season on Saturday, live on Sky Sports 5 from 5pm.