Summary:
The dogs may have left the football pitch but man's best friend is still by his side.

Full article:
Mario Balotelli has two new canine companions after adopting a pair of white Staffordshire Bull Terriers from his local rescue centre. The Liverpool striker posted the image to his Instagram page in which he poses in his Liverpool jacket, holding the two white dogs in his arms. Balotelli famously kept in touch with his pet Labrador Lucky through FaceTime, while the dog remained in Milan after his move to Anfield in the summer. Mario Balotelli posted image of him posing with two adopted dogs on his Instagram page on Friday . The Italian striker watches on from the stands as Liverpool were held to a 2-2 draw with Leicester on Thursday . Balotelli trains Steven Gerrard (right), who announced he would be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season . Balotelli decided to leave Lucky in Italy as he did not want to put the dog through quarantine for six months. The Italian forward may be hoping that a little help from man's best friend will get him back in the Liverpool team ahead of their FA Cup tie against AFC Wimbledon on Monday night. The 24-year-old has only managed to find the net twice for Liverpool since his £16million move from AC Milan to Anfield in the summer. Brendan Rodgers' side head to Kingsmeadow for a rerun of the 1988 cup final in which the London club were the victors. Balotelli asked his followers on Instagram to guess the names of the two dogs he had adopted from the centre .