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Materazzi on Mourinho: 'I told him 'f*** you' - because he was leaving me with Benitez!'
Reading Time: 2min | Fri. 07.04.23. | 16:25
It is widely known how the Special One build strong and personal bonds with his most important players
After the Nerazzurri's historic treble under Jose Mourinho, which saw Inter Milan win their first European trophy since the 1960s along with the Serie A title and Coppa Italia, most could see the tear-jerking scene where the Portuguese boss and former star defender Marco Materazzi embrace - both knowing that was their last moment 'working' together.
Ex Inter Milan star Materazzi revealed to Italia Football TV his parting words to Mourinho after the Special One left the club to join Real Madrid in 2010.
“Mourinho was special, he knew all of our wives and kids names. I was sad when he left… I told him v*ffanculo because he left me with Benitez”
— Italian Football TV (@IFTVofficial) April 5, 2023
- Marco Materazzi 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/DSpooQNATK
It was a sweary farewell, the Italian admitted. Mourinho's successor was Rafael Benitez, who lasted just six months at the San Siro.
Materazzi, who is better known for the infamous headbutt he received from Zinedine Zidane in the 2006 World Cup final, would not let the manager leave without a goodbye.
'I told him "f*** you" because he was leaving me with Benitez,' he said.
'Mourinho was special, he knew the names of all our children and our wives,' Materazzi said of the Roma boss in a recent interview with Italia Football TV.
'Nobody else had ever done that for me. For me it was not a big surprise, but for my wife, when he met her and said "hello Daniela", it was.'
🥲 When Jose Mourinho was leaving Inter Milan, some players were devastated.
— 🐬 @𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗷𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗯𝗼𝘆 (@OneJoblessBoy) May 6, 2022
As he was being driven out, he noticed Marco Materazzi crying and he had to stop.
pic.twitter.com/8sGILXetdz
Benitez did take over at Inter the following season after leaving Liverpool, and struggled to match the high standards set under Mourinho. He was dismissed in December with the side having slipped to sixth in the league - 13 points off leaders AC Milan.
Leonardo replaced Benitez, eventually leading them to second in Serie A and delivering another Coppa Italia trophy. Materazzi would go on to leave Inter at the end of that season after making just 11 appearances in all competitions.
Benitez has not managed since leaving Everton in January last year, and may be unwilling to join a Foxes side currently sat in the relegation zone. Now 13 years later, the former Liverpool and Newcastle boss is being chased by Leicester after they sacked Brendan Rodgers at the weekend.
