Materazzi hoping Berlusconi enjoyed mask
MILAN - Marco Materazzi hopes Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi saw the funny side of the Inter Milan defender wearing a mask of the AC Milan owner at the end of Sunday's city derby.
Serie A leaders Inter beat second-placed Milan 2-0 despite being reduced to nine men, prompting non-playing substitute Materazzi to don the rubber mask and charge onto the field in celebration at full-time.
"As always, whatever Materazzi does gets discussed. Even a carnival mask, which is sold everywhere. There was no intent to cause controversy, no wish to offend, no political implication," the 36-year-old told his website on Monday.
"I'm sure that Berlusconi, as president of Milan and above all as a person with great self-irony... will have smiled seeing me."
Italian Materazzi, headbutted by France's Zinedine Zidane in the 2006 World Cup final, could face a sanction from the league on Tuesday when disciplinary measures from the weekend games are announced.
The centre-back has barely figured in the last two years under Inter coach Jose Mourinho but continues to stay in the limelight, saying recently he would go on a motorhome trip around America in June rather than watch this year's World Cup.
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