Tuesday September 5, 2006
Paolo Bandini, Guardian Unlimited
Italian defender maintains he was not at fault
Almost two months after feeling the full force of Zinedine Zidane's head powering into his chest, Marco Materazzi has finally revealed the words with which he provoked the French captain during the World Cup final.
Materazzi says that Zidane had grown frustrated at constant shirt tugging and had offered to give the Italian his shirt after the game. "I would prefer your sister," Materazzi shot back.
But there was no fresh apology from Materazzi, who maintained he should not be blamed for Zidane's reaction.
"I did not cause it," he said. "I answered verbally with a provocation to defend myself. Yes, I was tugging his shirt, but when he said to me scornfully 'If you want my shirt so much I'll give it to you afterwards,' is that not a provocation? I answered that I'd prefer his sister, it's true.
"It's not a particularly nice thing to say, I recognise that. But loads of players say worse things … I didn't even know he had a sister before all this happened."
Materazzi's comments came ahead of the two countries' keenly awaited rematch in a Euro 2008 Group B qualifying match tomorrow.
He will play no part in the tie as he serves the second of his two-game Fifa ban for his part in the incident, and his absence is a sore point for his team-mates. "The two-match ban given to Marco was a scandalous compromise," said Gianluigi Buffon recently. "It was an absurd precedent and totally unacceptable."
Zidane has been very reluctant to speak about the incident, saying only that Materazzi's comments were "very personal and concerned his mother and his sister".
"I am a man and some words are harder to hear than actions," he added. "I would rather have taken a blow to the face than hear that."
English
فارسی
September 5th, 2006 at 10:11 am
It’s incredible that Zidane should have lost his head over such a remark. he should have just said that Materazzi was a fag who had no use for his siter, and walked off!!
Ehsan
September 5th, 2006 at 10:34 am
Why cant they just let this go? Ugh. Name calling and gender bashing is never going to stop in any sport. I am sure you are all aware of that. It is done to provoke for the sole purpose of getting someone off their game, which is what happened to Zizou.
PS Afshin, I live in Fontana, CA. The Redbrick Pizzeria in my area is brand new and the booths have a TV on the wall and you can change it to any channel you want while you sit and eat. I found GolTv…and well, its going to be my new favorite hangout. Of course provided you tell me when to expect good games, Mr. GolTv Guide!
September 5th, 2006 at 12:42 pm
Ehsan jAn, I am there with you! This could not have been the first time someone insulted Zidane on the field.
Besides, as I said on another forum, I have not seen Zidane’s sister, but supposed that she is somewhat more good looking than her short fused brother, who can blame Materazzi for “preferring” her over Zizou’s sweaty jersey?!
September 5th, 2006 at 12:45 pm
Dang Maria! I am moving to Fontana! My cable TV fee is getting too high as I add these football channels that never come alone!
I had to get a package to get Gol TV. All the stations on the package are in Spanish language! Granted that I religiously watch “Caliente” (
) But that is ridiculous! 
September 5th, 2006 at 1:47 pm
I say this again: Materazzi ban was unfair and ridiculous!!! I bet there were dozens other people derserving that punishment if they wanted to enforce verbal abuse! Unfortuante!
Maria, Is Redbrick Pizzeria a chain?! I wish I had one close to my house!!!
Darn it! Now I have to wait for Navid to give me that “Tivo brochure” that he’s still searching for before I get GolTV……
BTW, I could not find the GolTV on Cox digital cable channel line up!!!! So I don’t think I can get it even with digital cable….
September 5th, 2006 at 2:01 pm
kia, yes RedBrick is a chain. I dont know where youre at, but you can check http://www.redbrick.com and check out their locations. they are in AZ CA FL NM NV OR and TX. I LOVE it. Pizza is not bad either.
September 5th, 2006 at 2:03 pm
AA- there is no way youre going to like it here in Fontucky. No eye candy.
September 5th, 2006 at 2:07 pm
um……opps the site is http://www.redbrickpizza.com
its monday.
September 5th, 2006 at 2:09 pm
re Maria – WHAT?! No eye candy?! What kinda place is this??!?!?!?
OK, please clarify, are you saying absolutely no eye candy, or no eye candy as you “assume” I define it?
September 5th, 2006 at 2:15 pm
So basically what I took away from this thread is:
one shouldn’t head butt because of a sister insult but it
does make for good television especially accompanied with
a slice of pizza.
sorry I’ve been MIA gang, I’m wrapping up a project and it’s taking
all of my time but I will be back in full force very soon……with
phoebe in tow.
September 5th, 2006 at 2:53 pm
Admin- LOL! I guess guilty as charged, eye candy as I assume you define it.
Rabeah – Glad to see you. Hope your project turns out fantastic! This pizza topic came about because I determined my local Redbrick Pizza has TVs in every booth with directtv and I will be able to watch a couple games here and there, that I would otherwise just read about.
September 5th, 2006 at 3:05 pm
http://www.redbrick.com:
“IBM Red Brickâ„¢ Warehouse 6.3 is a lean, structured query language (SQL)-based, standard relational database for business intelligence applications. This latest release complements an e-business environment with an easy to install, easy to use, easy to administer, and very low cost of ownership Red Brick data mart and data warehouse”
Not very appetizing and no GolTV or any football channel for that reason!!!!!!!
September 5th, 2006 at 3:07 pm
Maria,
I live in Irvine, and actually there is a Readbreak Pizza in a new shopping center near my work! Thank you for the info…
September 5th, 2006 at 3:45 pm
HELLOOOOOOOO kia………I put up the correct website! LOL.
September 5th, 2006 at 4:40 pm
re- no eye candy in Fontana.
AA- There is no eyecandy in Fontana. At least not the kind you see on “Caliente” LOLOL!
September 5th, 2006 at 6:13 pm
re “Caliente”
I know, for that I must go to Florida or something, but my goodness, that is a move I would make in no time if given the choice!!
When I lived in Brooklyn, I had to wakeup at 9:00am on Sundays after a typical Saturday night (I was much younger and more outgoing those days!!) for Caliente, and still I was over caliented, thanks to all the caliente eye candy in “caliente”!!!!
September 6th, 2006 at 3:01 am
Peices don’t fall into it’s place for me folks,i don’t know about you.
you’re at the peak of your career,at the very last chance of acheiving everything you ever dreamed of.You’re actually within reach of that…and then..THIS…
Amazing…If he wasn’t familiar with Italians and their jokes,If he was a youngster right out of Morrocco playing for the first time in an international tournament,..then maybe i could figure out what happened…
AMAZING…
September 6th, 2006 at 3:31 am
Re:Maria
Navid is dancing the watermelon dance….Woot Woot Woot…There is a Redbrick Pizza location in my city of Buena Park
Thanx to Mariaaaa……
September 6th, 2006 at 12:16 pm
Navid jAn, I believe I am not familiar with the watermelon dance. Please elaborate…(you can provide visuals if you please)
Ah, Buena Park home of Knotts Hallowweennnie Haunt…my favorite place during Halloween…I go at least twice in October.
kia- Irvine eh? Nice. I almost moved there (Tustin/Irvine area). But noooo, I just had to go and get married. Totally changed my plans.
I know a couple of Persians out in the area. I guess there is a big community out in the OC.
September 6th, 2006 at 12:43 pm
There are enough Iranians in the OC that they now call it:
“Portagalabad”
maria: “portogal” means “orange” in persian and “abad” means “city”
September 6th, 2006 at 1:12 pm
Maria,
I don’t beleive “no eye candy in Fontana”!!!
This weekend I was leaving Walmart in Foothill Ranch which is way up from the beach, and saw an eye candy walking into In-N-Out burger in mere bikinis. I know it was a very hot day but that just made it hotter
!!!!!….
Point here: if there is eye candy in Foothill Ranch there is eye candy in Fontana ( I suppose it’s even hotter there)….
September 6th, 2006 at 2:13 pm
Reabeah- There is a chiro Dr. Bayati that can be definitely labeled “EYE CANDY”, in the OC and I will be checking him out, literally. I am allowing him to do ‘chiropractic manipulation’ on yours truly.
kia- Foothill Ranch is near Laguna Hills, of course there HAS to be eye candy there! LOL. Have you heard of the Inland Empire? No? ‘Nough said!
September 6th, 2006 at 5:12 pm
Maria, I know!!! But this was not just the typical eye candy! It was mouth-watering eye candy!!! hahahaha
Specially considering, Foothill Ranch is about 40 min. away from the beach!!! Believe me this type of eye candy is not usual even in OC.