In an interview with chef and Inter fan Davide Oldani, legendary Inter defender Marco Materazzi recalled what he did to Mario Balotelli after the striker’s infamous shirt throwing incident.
“I gave him a good beating, it’s true. I love Mario, but he really deserved it that day. We’ve become friends again now, practically brothers, but he did something that day that he really should not have done,” Materazzi remarked in the interview which took place via Instagram.
“Throwing his shirt to the ground after the final whistle wasn’t even the worst of it. Before the game, on the team bus, he told us: ‘Today I’m going to play badly,’ so I promised to make him pay if he did.
“When he came off the bench, he tried a shot from midfield rather than go on the counter. Diego Milito wanted to kill him. We believed in Mario, he scored many goals and contributed to the victory, but a week after that, I asked Mourinho to put me against Balotelli in the training ground games between ranks. After a few seconds, I’d send him back to the dressing room.”
Materazzi then went on to speak about former Inter manager Jose Mourinho.
“Nobody can match Mourinho when it comes to creating that empathic connection with players. Plus, he’s a smartass. He has struggled to win recently, because he was successful at Manchester United. Tottenham have a young and strong squad, so I hope he can get back to winning ways.”
He then spoke on current Inter manager Antonio Conte and praised him for what he has done in his first season in charge.
“Conte’s seriousness is unquestionable, his past was questionable but now he’s become part of Inter and more likeable.
“He has narrowed the gap with the top teams and it’s important for the future, it is also normal that something is missing. The club is renovating everything, even the training ground, we must look to Juventus as an example. Inter always remains Inter, but must adapt to the times.”
He then spoke on Inter striker Lautaro Martinez who is continually being linked with a move away from the club, especially to Barcelona.
“He’s very strong, but I’m biased because I’m an Inter fan and Milito recommended him to me. When I went to Argentina, Diego told me he was a phenomenon. Why did he explode this year? Last year he was in the shadow of Icardi and he had just arrived from South America but in any case he did well.”
Next he reminisced about what he felt like when Ronaldo joined Inter: “It was the greeting feeling I ever felt when I saw him for the first time at Pinetina.
Materazzi also shared his appreciation for former Inter owner and president Massimo Moratti.
“He gave me everything he could give me to raise all the cups in 2010. He put us in the ideal conditions to win what he dreamed about since childhood, the treble.”
Materazzi joined Inter in the Summer of 2001 from Perugia and spent the next decade on Inter’s books, during which time he won practically all there is to win.
