Matrix Out?, Or: More Azzurri Panic

By: Martha | August 23rd, 2007

Oh lord. The press in Italy is currently exploding with stories about the health of Marco Materazzi, and they get worse with each passing hour. At first, he had simply “suffered a thigh problem and was replaced.” It quickly got more serious, though, with stories of a deep bruise and “trauma” (physical, apparently, though it’s strangely entertaining to imagine Matrix weeping over his lost childhood, or something) that left him vomiting on the sideline.

Now, a few hours later, things have gotten really serious: According to some reports, Materazzi actually passed out on the sideline but refused to go to the hospital until the team got back in Italy. (I’m dubious about this because, seriously, what team doctor lets a guy who’s puking and losing consciousness get on a plane for a while before getting care?) Apparently he suffered a ruptured vein in his “skillful thigh” and could face surgery as early as today, a path that would keep him out for up to four months. Yikes.

It’s funny to think how relatively insignificant this sort of thing would have been for the Azzurri 18 months ago, but in the last year and a half or so, Matrix has become a crucial part of Italy’s defense and, coming on the heel’s of last night’s disaster (not to mention Andrea Barzagli’s awful second-half performance in his place) it’s certainly not going to help calm people down ahead of the France match. Hopefully it’s all wild speculation and Materazzi’s at home with a bag of ice on his thigh, reading the stories about surgery and laughing.

Edit: Forget the optimism, he’s had the surgery.

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Category: Azzurri, Inter, Rumors & News, Serie A

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Bib

If I were Donadoni I'd be on the phone begging Nesta to come back at least for the next two qualifiers and if he says no he should threaten sanctions like Domenech does.
Jamie

thierry make joke :)
Thierry

Materrazi had vomited, hum too bad, why they put this mirror in the changing room?
Nelly

Sounds serious. Hope nothing bad will happen.
Mike

I'm sure Matrix will be fine, and in a few months he'll get a lovely new tattoo, maybe "skillful thigh" written in really cool old english, and then we can all laugh about it afterwards.

Speaking of tattoos, at the end of July La Gazzetta made a big deal of the Milan players playing volleyball on the beach, Brazilians vs. Italians, complete with match-ups and stats (it was a slow news week). In one picture, I noticed that Gattuso tattooed "Champion" on his arm. Anyone know if it was that for the WC or CL?
Francesco

Inter loses their only Italian starter. Now they are really Internazionale.
Laurie

Ooh. Did that sound callous and cold?
Laurie

I thought I was the only person taken by that "skillful thigh" translation. It grips me still.

On the Matrix thing. This sounds rather icky. On a human level, I wish him luck. On a professional level... Buh-bye, Matrix. Guess we won't see you next month.
Martha

Uselessness last night aside, it's gotta be Barzagli, since they were after him anyway. Matrix is a crucial attacking element for Inter, no doubt (his bicycle kick was one of the most laughably awesome moments of last season) -- can't wait to read the coverage of the shitty start, if/when it comes.

(If Chivu moves to the middle, I wonder if this means Inter are so desperate for outside backs that Cesar stays around. I do like Cesar, not good enough though he probably is.)
chris

For the Azzurri, I'm sad. For Inter, that back line just became a joke (if Samuel stays status quo).

So who's Moratti's new knee-jerk reaction target? Meira? Barzagli?

Martha, a nice stat for you: Materazzi scored 10 goals in Serie A last year. Enjoy replacing that type of production with another CB and Roberto Mancini's "9 men behind the ball plus two strikers" tactical ingenuity.
Lisa

Not good. Although the surgery doesn't sound too bad, no major incisions, so hopefully he can recover quickly. I'd hate to see Barzagli replacing him for the France match. He was flat out terrible yesterday.
mele419

Oh God. That's terrible... I hope he recovers quickly =/