Reaction to Zidane's sending off
France coach Raymond Domenech said the referee should have given Zinedine Zidane more protection in the World Cup final defeat against Italy in Berlin. Zidane was sent off in extra-time for a headbutt on Marco Materazzi before France went on to lose on penalties. "Materrazzi is the man of the match, not Andrea Pirlo," said Domenech. "When one has to put up with what Zidane had to and the referee doesn't do anything, one understands. You can't excuse it, but you can understand it." The France coach added that Zidane regretted what had happened but refused to say if he had apologised.