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Domenech rips into Materazzi after new headbutt incident

France coach Raymond Domenech on Monday stuck the boot into Italy international Marco Materazzi after the center-back was the victim of another headbutt.

Materazzi, who was famously felled by a Zinedine Zidane headbutt in last year's World Cup final, was butted again on Sunday by Sampdoria's Gennaro Delvecchio.

But Domenech told L'Equipe TV that Materazzi "has a habit of falling over easily" before adding mischievously, "he must have a weakness somewhere."

The Inter Milan player, who scored Italy's goal in the World Cup final that saw them win eventually in a penalty shootout, claimed afterwards that he did not provoke Delvecchio in Sunday's fractious Serie A match.

Inter maintained their 11-point lead at the top of the table and extended their record run of consecutive wins to 14 matches with a 2-0 victory in Genoa.

But the game swung heavily in Inter's favour in the seventh minute when Delvecchio was sent off for headbutting Materazzi squarely on the chin.

Materazzi, who reacted angrily when Delvecchio caught Inter's Julio Cesar with a late challenge, said he did nothing wrong.

"My reaction was instinctive and all I wanted to do was protect my keeper," said the 33-year-old who lay on the ground as Delvecchio was sent off.

"I went over to say to him `What do you think you're doing'? He then pushed me and I didn't go down. Then he headbutted me and I fell to the ground. He hurt my lip," he added. "I admit it when I make a mistake, but I didn't do anything wrong."
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