Materazzi hoping Berlusconi enjoyed mask

Serie A leaders Inter beat second-placed Milan 2-0 despite being reduced to nine men, prompting non-playing substitute Materazzi to don the rubber mask and charge onto the field in celebration at full-time.

"As always, whatever Materazzi does gets discussed. Even a carnival mask, which is sold everywhere. There was no intent to cause controversy, no wish to offend, no political implication," the 36-year-old told his website on Monday.

"I'm sure that Berlusconi, as president of Milan and above all as a person with great self-irony... will have smiled seeing me."

Italian Materazzi, headbutted by France's Zinedine Zidane in the 2006 World Cup final, could face a sanction from the league on Tuesday when disciplinary measures from the weekend games are announced.

The centre-back has barely figured in the last two years under Inter coach Jose Mourinho but continues to stay in the limelight, saying recently he would go on a motorhome trip around America in June rather than watch this year's World Cup.