By Andrew Warshaw
January 23 – Marco Materazzi, the former Italian international who was infamously headbutted by Zinedine Zidane in the 2006 World Cup final, has opened up a war of words with current Chelsea interim boss Rafa Benitez.
The once-time Inter Milan stalwart, who won 41 caps for his country, has taken it upon himself to rekindle a slanging match with Benitez who had a brief stint in charge of Inter back in 2010.
“[Rafael Benitez] is not my ideal coach. If I was a club president, I’d never employ him,” Materazzi told the magazine France Football. “A great boss like (Marcelo) Lippi or (Jose) Mourinho knows how to get their demands across to a dressing room. Whereas Benitez, he wanted to put them all in writing, ten or twelve rules – like the Highway Code, or being at school.
“At Inter’s training centre, there were photos on the wall of all the most successful past coaches, from Herrera to Mancini and Mourinho. Benitez had the ones of Jose taken down. With that gesture, he showed his character – that of a weak person.”
Reacting to these comments, Benitez, who normally keeps his counsel over off-the-field matters, hit back hard, accusing Materazzi of a litany of lies.
“Marco Materazzi is lying,” snapped Benitez. “He’s lying, just lying. Everything that he said is a lie. Simple. When he was talking with Mourinho it’s a lie, because nobody knew I was going to Inter, even me. It’s a lie. About the pictures, it’s a lie. So he’s a liar.”
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