extracted from soccernet.
MILAN, Sept 5 (Reuters) - Italy defender Marco Materazzi has
revealed the content of the verbal exchange he had with Zinedine
Zidane which led to the headbutt from the Frenchman and his sending
off in July's World Cup final.
Materazzi said it was mention of Zidane's sister which prompted the
butt from the France midfielder which left Italy's opponents down
to 10 men before their defeat on penalties.
'I did not provoke him, I responded verbally to a provocation,'
Materazzi told the daily Gazzetta dello Sport on Tuesday.
'We both spoke and I wasn't the first. I held his shirt but don't
you think it is a provocation to say that 'if you want my shirt I
will give it you afterwards'?
'I replied to Zidane that I would prefer his sister, that is true.
I brought up his sister and that wasn't a nice thing, that is
true,' said Materazzi.
'Thankfully there are tens of footballers who could confirm that
much worse things are said on the field,' added the Inter Milan
defender.
France host Italy in a European Championship qualifier on Wednesday
but neither Zidane nor Materazzi will feature.
Zidane, who has retired as a player, was fined 7,500 Swiss francs
($6,014) and handed a three-match ban by FIFA's five-man
disciplinary committee following the July 9 final.
As he is no longer a player, he offered to undertake three days of
community service on FIFA's behalf as part of their humanitarian
activities, which the committee accepted.
Materazzi was handed a two-match ban and fined 5,000 Swiss francs
($4,010). His sentence was fiercely criticised in Italy.
The Italy defender said that while he had told FIFA he was willing
to make a gesture of reconciliation with Zidane, he was not going
to apologise.
'He has not apologised to me and I certainly don't have to
apologise to him. If anything, I owe apologies to his sister,
although I swear, before all this mess I didn't even know Zidane
had a sister,' he said.
Materazzi said that he thought the two could put the incident
behind them.
'If peace can be made after terrible wars can Zidane and I not make
peace? A peace between men, without much publicity, certainly
yes.
'The door of my house will always be open to him and if he wants,
Zidane knows how to find out my address,' said Materazzi.
