AC Milan is not amused by Mario Balotelli's use of a gun on social media.

After facing more criticism than most players for Italy's first-round exit from the World Cup, and constantly subjected to racism, Balotelli posted a photo on Instagram early Friday featuring him pointing a large gun at the camera.

The post was accompanied by a message: "big kiss to all the haters."

The post was later deleted.

balotelli-gun

This photo was posted on Mario Balotelli's Instagram account before being deleted. (Instagram)

Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani says, "I have my own ideas about social networks and I've tried many times but our lawyer has always stopped me, saying that it would violate individual rights."

Galliani adds, "In contracts it's written what players can and cannot do, but we can't do anything regarding their private lives. We do it vocally but that's not enough."