MATERAZZI: `I WOULD PREFER HIS SISTER' COMMENT SPURRED ZIDANE REACTION, DEFENDER TELLS ITALIAN NEWSPAPER.

Byline: SCOTT FRENCH Staff Writer

Marco Materazzi, recipient of the head butt seen 'round the world, insulted Zinedine Zidane's sister -- but not his mother -- during their fateful exchange in the World Cup final.

The Italian defender admitted Tuesday that his mention of Zidane's sister prompted the French captain -- playing his final match -- to bury his head into Materazzi's chest, knocking him to the ground, during the Italy-France game July 9 at Berlin's Olympiastadion.

The incident occurred in overtime, with the score tied 1-1, after Materazzi grabbed Zidane's jersey during a battle for the ball near the Italian box.

``We both spoke, and I wasn't the first,'' Materazzi told Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport. ``I held his shirt, but don't you think it is provocation to say that `if you want my shirt, I will give it to you afterwards'?

``I replied to Zidane that I would prefer his sister, that is true. I brought up his sister, and that wasn't a nice thing, that is true. Thankfully, there are lots of players who can confirm that much worse things are said on the field.''

Zidane, who was red-carded following the incident and later fined about $6,700, has said little about the altercation but accused Materazzi of insulting his mother and sister. The midfielder, widely considered the finest player of his generation, retired following the final, which Italy won on penalty kicks.

Materazzi was suspended for two games and fined about $4,500, a sentence roundly criticized in Italy. He will not be available for today's rematch, a 2008 European Championship qualifier in Saint-Denis, a Paris suburb.

Materazzi, who plays for Italian power Inter Milan, said he would not apologize to Zidane.

``If anything, I owe apologies to his sister,'' he said. ``Although I swear, before this mess, I didn't even know Zidane had a sister.''

Patrick Vieira, who played alongside Zidane with France's national team and is Materazzi's teammate at Inter, told Associated Press that Materazzi is ``a very cheerful guy, but he loves to wind people up. Sometimes you need to know when to stop.''

Asked if he and Zidane could put the incident behind them, Materazzi said: ``If peace can be made after terrible wars, can Zidane and I not make peace? A peace between men, without much publicity, certainly yes. The door to my house will always be open to him, and if he wants, Zidane knows how to find out my address.''

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