Italian defender accepts apology from British tabloid
Materazzi and Zidane clashed at the world cup final
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Monday, 07, Apr 2008 09:51
Italian world cup winner Marco Materazzi has accepted an apology from the Daily Star over accusations he racially abused Zinedine Zidane.
Zidane famously haedbutted Materazzi during the world cup final of 2006 and the British tabloid claimed the defender had goaded the Frenchman into doing it.
Following the incident the paper published a number of stories claiming Materazzi had racially abused Zidane's mother.
However, Express Newspapers issued a full apology to Materazzi at a meeting at the High Court in London today.
Materazzi's solicitor, Steven Heffer, confirmed the newspaper would be paying damages to the 34-year-old as well as his legal expenses.
Following the hearing Materazzi said: "I really appreciate the apology published in the Daily Star. The truth is now coming out - finally. I am looking forward to a quick and positive conclusion to my claims against the other newspapers who published lies about me. Only then will I be truly satisfied."
The former Everton defender published a book recently where he admitted he had insulted Zidane's sister but insisted he had never said anything racist.
Kate Wilson, counsel for Express Newspapers, said: "The defendant accepts that there is no question of the claimant having said anything of a racist nature to Zidane whatsoever, such as to goad Zidane into viciously headbutting him, and would like to take this opportunity to apologise to the claimant for any distress and embarrassment which he has suffered as a result of the publication of these articles."
Materazzi is currently playing for Inter Milan and recently signed a new deal to stay with the club until 2010.