Indian club Kerala hand entire crowd Zinedine Zidane masks to welcome opposing manager Marco Materazzi
Former Italy international is now manager of Chennaiyin and rival supporters are keen to give him a rough welcome
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MARCO MATERAZZI will be given a bizarre reception when he takes Chennaiyin FC to face rivals Kerala Blasters in India.
Blasters fans have planned for 35,000 Zinedine Zidane masks to be produced for supporters as they look to get under the skin of the Italian who is now a manager in the Indian Super League.
Despite 700 kilometres separating the two clubs, Materazzi's side are considered as Kerala Blasters' south Indian rivals.
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Blasters supporters have taken action after being infuriated by Materazzi during the draw between the two sides last month.
The 43-year-old was involved in a bust up between Blasters' Kervens Belfort and Chennaiyin's Manuele Blasi.
So in an attempt to unsettle and get back at the opposition manager, Blasters fans are going to have thousands of fans wearing Zidane masks.
To remind Materazzi of the time Real Madrid manager Zidane headbutted him during the 2006 World Cup final which resulted in a red card for the Frenchman.
A Blasters supporter Abdul Hadhi told Sportscafe: "We want to send a message to the coach [Materazzi].
"And we thought long and hard about how we can do it as fans sitting in the stands. We want to protest against the violence but want to do it as peacefully as possible.
"But this is an issue which needs to be brought to the attention of the world and the [Indian Super League]. A coach cannot get involved like this.
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"I am sure everyone remembers the incident that happened in the World Cup final, where this coach got one of the greats of the game sent off. He affected one of the greatest players in the world, who reacted to it.
"We want to show him that we may also have to react to it. And that the world remembers Zidane and not Materazzi."
This may not have the desired affect on Materazzi as it will also remind him of the night he won the World Cup with Italy.
