Internazionale manager Jose Mourinho has hit out at the unfair treatment received by Marco Materazzi due to his reputation as the bad boy of Italian football.
The former Everton defender was red carded during Sunday’s Milan derby – despite already having been substituted.
Materazzi was given his marching orders after protesting against referee Emidio Morganti’s decision to ignore an elbow on Adriano inside the penalty order.
“I am sorry because he is a great boy, is very professional and I think he is a player who is not respected in football like he should be,” said the Inter coach.
“It is just too easy to show a card to Materazzi.
“I knew about this scenario for a long time before coming here, but I don’t understand it very well.”
Materazzi is infamous for his role in Zinedine Zidane’s red card during the 2006 World Cup Final.
“I don’t know why every place we go, there has to be an offensive chant against him or his children,” continued Mourinho.
“He is a boy who lost his mother as a child and I really don’t know where all this is going to end up.
“There is not a single game away from home in which this boy is not under pressure.”
