Punch lands Materazzi in trouble
Tuesday, February 3, 2004
Article summary
FC Internazionale defender Marco Materazzi has been banned from domestic action until 29 March.
Article body
Tunnel incident
One of the referee's assistants saw him strike Cirillo in the tunnel at the San Siro and the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) has duly suspended the 30-year-old Italian international, as well as handing Inter a €5,000 fine. Materazzi was not even playing in the match as he is currently injured.
'He punched me'
"Materazzi was picking on me during the whole game telling his team-mates to run at me as I was a bad player," Cirillo, a former Inter player, told Italian television after the match. "After the final whistle I went to him and he punched me. He split my lip with his fist."
Eligible for UEFA Cup
The next game for which Materazzi will be available is the Serie A meeting with Juventus FC on 4 April. However, he remains eligible to play in the UEFA Cup unless UEFA decides otherwise.
