Inter Milan legend Marco Materazzi says Italian football needs to take a close look at itself.

Materazzi says AC Milan icon Paolo Maldini's self-imposed exile says plenty about the problems inside the local game.

He claimed: "And that should make us think. It should make us think that such people are not in Italian football today.

"I think mainly of Maldini, a gentleman, a great man of football.

"If he continues to remain outside a reason must be there."