Marco Materazzi 2-0 UK Tabloids
Marco Materazzi can now cross the Daily Mail off his revenge list. His libel case against the UK tabloid was headed to court, but the paper has offered an apology and financial compensation, which the defender has accepted. After the Daily Star appeased Matrix with a similar apology/compensation combo to Matrix in April, this is the Italian’s second win over the tabs.
You remember the famous World Cup final moment of course, where Zinedine Zidane butted Materazzi (and launched a million parodies) after the Italian defender said something to provoke the French captain. In the frenzied aftermath various newspapers claimed that Matrix had racially abused Zizou by calling him “the son of a terrorist whore,” a story the Mail unveiled in July 2006 with the teaser headline “”Revealed: the insult that made Zidane see red” and then stuck with until December 2006.
The reality was that he called Zidane’s sister a whore. Not nice of course. Not nice at all. But not racist. And so the paper had to say sorry.
Jonathan Price, for the Daily Mail’s owners Associated Newspapers, said the newspaper offered its apologies for the distress and embarrassment caused, and had agreed to pay Materazzi substantial damages and his costs.
The actual amount of financial compensation heading for Matrix’s bank account hasn’t been revealed, though I’d guess it’s sizeable. And though there’s an argument that 1) Materazzi already has enough money and 2) this story is now two years old, I think the apology is important. It’s reassuring to know that when papers like Daily Mail and the Daily Star get it wrong they still have to admit it. Eventually.
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Comments
By talia | November 3rd, 2008 at 12:51 pm 
Like this really means something? Anyone can sue for damages in Britain because of the libel laws and - hello? - many such cases have ended this way and after the settlement were later proven to have been true.
If Materazzi thinks he is somehow vindicated, he is dreaming. I’d like to see him take a lie detector test because I don’t believe a word that comes out of his mouth. Not a racist? how about his recent comment about AC Milan fans that taunted him with insults about his poor dead mother? The big oaf said those fans were uncivilized and belonged in the “Third World”. Pot meet kettle. What does that make him?
Posted from 
United States
By elliot | November 3rd, 2008 at 2:09 pm Zidane disgraced himself and tainted the sport on the world’s biggest stage.
For shame Mr. Zidane, for shame.
Great for the Matrix who withstood abuse and lies hurled at him. Let the apologies continue to roll in, along with cash.
By gomez | November 3rd, 2008 at 2:18 pm The tabs certainly earn enough with their lurid stories to be able to pay something back.
By Johonna | November 3rd, 2008 at 7:01 pm According to Marco’s book, what he was most upset about was that the papers said he had insulted Zidane’s mother. Marco is a good Italian boy, and as such, mothers are sacred. He would never say anything about someone’s mother, or so he (or probably his ghost writer) said.
Posted from United States
By McTalian | November 5th, 2008 at 11:55 am Materazzi: May hate him, but he always seems to come out on top. It’s pretty funny IMO.
Posted from United States
By Ben | November 7th, 2008 at 1:00 pm Whatever talia, they were lies so except that they were lies. Tabloids rarely tell the truth because the truth is usually pretty boring. Give it up, Zidane assulted someone over a stupid meaningless comment that he took personally. End of story. The fact that it was on a soccer field makes it trash talk and should be ignored. Matarazzi felt inferior to Zidane so he tried to break him down by insulting his sister, it’s called an inferiority complex. Educate yourself talia.
Posted from 
Canada
By WEL | November 12th, 2008 at 5:49 pm MAXIDEX WARNING
I had eye surgery and in the post-op pack was MAXIDEX(dexamethasone) drops by ALCON LABS.
Two days later I was BLIND
Use Google and enter EPOCRATES MAXIDEX REACTION to verify
Posted from United States
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