Diarra: You're all cheats! Tuesday 4 September, 2007
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After Raymond Domenech’s touchline ban, France midfielder Lassana Diarra accused Italy of being a nation of "provokers and cheats.”
The Arsenal player has cranked up the tension on an already boiling Euro 2008 qualifier at San Siro on Saturday evening.
Coach Domenech (pictured) will be in the stands after UEFA confirmed his one-match touchline ban for falsely accusing Italy of “buying the referee” in a 1999 Under-21 encounter.
“The matter is closed as far as I am concerned,” noted the tactician after today’s verdict. “I will be in the stands and have no further comment to make. In England the managers are often in the stands, although I’ll be a bit higher up…”
The searing rivalry between the two nations hit new levels this evening, as France and Arsenal midfielder Diarra launched a stinging attack on the World champions.
“Everyone knows the reputation the Italians have is of cheats and provokers,” he was quoted as saying in the 'Gazzetta dello Sport.’
“The important thing is not to fall into their traps. I am a black man and in Italy we often get insulted, not just by the fans, but also by the players. Having said that, the situation does seem to be improving.”
Diarra may well be referring to the incident several years back when Patrick Vieira had a furious row with Lazio’s Sinisa Mihajlovic.
The two men have put it behind them now and work together at Inter, where Serb Mihajlovic is now Roberto Mancini’s assistant manager.
The former Chelsea midfielder, now at Arsenal, continued his incredible attack on Italian football.
“It doesn’t matter if Domenech won’t be on the bench, because he will follow us until the last minute and then his staff knows what to do,” added Diarra.
“Italy have Gennaro Gattuso and Andrea Pirlo, but we have Claude Makelele and Vieira. I really don’t think the Azzurri have the stronger pairing.”
The final moment of the interview set to raise eyebrows in the peninsula seemed like a self-fulfilling prophecy.
“It will be difficult at San Siro, because the atmosphere will be very tense.”
- Channel 4
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I smell revenge on the pitch:eyebrows: