Barcelona turned down the chance to sign Mario Balotelli

Mario Balotelli will line up against Spain for Italy in the final of Euro 2012, but a Spanish newspaper has claimed that he can be considered a Barcelona player.

According to El Mundo Deportivo, a 'whole team' of Barcelona graduates will contest tonight's final. There are seven Barcelona players in the Spain squad plus Jordi Alba, who will return to the Catalan club after signing from Valencia, former Barca goalkeeper Pepe Reina, Italy's Brazilian-born midfielder Thiago Motta, and Mario Balotelli.

The Catalan paper came under fire on social networking sites for claiming the Manchester City and ex-Inter forward as a product of Barca's famous academy.

However the striker did have a trial with Barcelona in 2006 and could have ended up playing in Spain.

And after impressing at Serie C side Lumezzane, Balotelli's family arranged a trial at Barcelona in June 2006.

"We thought it would be a good thing for Mario to have an experience abroad," his brother explained. "We made contact and were told to come for two or three days, brother Giovanni Balotelli told Canal Plus in a special programme.

"Mario was spectacular - it was one of the best times I had seen him play."

Balotelli's brother, however, claims the Catalan giants preferred to focus on local talent. "We were never explained the reasons but they wanted to concentrate on Spanish players. They said, 'What a shame Mario isn't Spanish'."

So Balotelli returned to Italy and after almost sealing a move to Switzerland joined Inter to begin his professional career.

The Manchester City man needs just one goal to win the Euro 2012 Golden boot tonight.