Friday 9 May, 2008

Marco Materazzi expresses his regret at missing Inter's Coppa Italia Final and blasts Goran Pandev for his role in Wednesday’s red card.

The Nerazzurri are through to a fourth consecutive Cup Final against Roma on May 24, but they will be without influential defender Materazzi.

The pugnacious star was sent off in the 85th minute of their semi-final second leg against Lazio after a vicious tackle on former Nerazzurro Pandev.

“I am gutted at being sent off. I have to admit that my challenge was a bit over-zealous and I could have avoided it,” the Matrix explained on his website.

“But I was reacting to the fact that somebody was talking a bit too much about things that had nothing to do with the game.”

Materazzi was less cryptic in his interview for La Gazzetta dello Sport where he pointed the finger at Pandev.

“Goran really disappointed me,” he stated. “He is in Italy thanks to Inter because the club gave him his big break.

“The least he could do is show some respect to the colours and instead he just kept shouting serious insults and trying to provoke us by saying that he hoped we lost the Scudetto.

“My regret is that I won’t be there on May 24 for the Final, but I trust my teammates to win another Coppa Italia and four Finals in a row is a good record. But first we have other things on our minds.”

Inter’s first priority is to seal the League title with a win over Siena at San Siro on Sunday.