• Premier Leagyue

Materazzi: If I'm a liar, then Rafa is thin

Kevin Palmer
January 29, 2013
Rafa Benitez has come under fire once again © Getty Images
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Former Inter Milan defender Marco Materazzi has reignited his war of words with Chelsea interim manager Rafael Benitez, claiming no club in world football is safe with the Spaniard at the helm.

Benitez accused Materazzi of being "a liar" as he responded to the criticism handed down by the Italy international when he was asked to comment on Benitez's brief stint in charge of Inter in 2010.

Now Materazzi has stepped up his attack on Benitez with insults broadcast on an Italian website Gazza offside.

"So I'm a liar," he questioned. "He's thin then, so that gives reason to call me a liar.

"It pains me to say good luck to Chelsea but I will anyway. I feel sorry for their fans. If I was president of a club, I would not trust him with my team."

Materazzi was responding to a heated outburst by Benitez last week, as he moved to discredit the Inter defender's critique of his troubled few months in charge at Inter Milan.

"In Italy everyone knows Materazzi and everyone at Inter knows him, he's a liar," stated Benitez, who rejected Materazzi's claims that he removed photographs of Jose Mourinho at the Inter Milan training ground after he succeeded the Portuguese coach as Nerazzurri coach in 2010.

"He's lying, just lying. Everything he has said is a lie. I've spoken to his family and they told me I had to understand him so I want to respect him and be nice, but everyone knows him. He cannot discredit anyone because everyone knows him. Forget about him."

Materazzi has clearly hit a raw nerve with Benitez, so his latest comments are certain to rile the Chelsea boss yet again.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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