Former Monaco winger Jerome Rothen opens up on Zinedine Zidane spat

Former France and Monaco winger Jerome Rothen admits the incident which saw Zinedine Zidane call him a 'son of a b***h' in 2004 was 'a black point in my career'.

Rothen's Monaco earned a surprise Champions League quarter-final victory over the Galacticos of Real Madrid 16 years ago.

But for Rothen the achievement was overshadowed by a clash with his international team-mate in the dying minutes of the second leg.

Monaco had overturned a 4–2 first leg deficit, and were 3–1 up with seconds left to play when Zidane challenged Rothen from behind.

According to Rothen, Zidane did not take kindly to his reaction. In his 2008 autobiography, he wrote: 'It was a foul and I went down, admittedly I made a bit more of it, but anyone would have done the same, as we were trying to buy some seconds.

'Zidane leant over me and said: "Get up, you son of a b***h."'

Looking back at the incident, Rothen told RMC Sport: 'It is a black point in my career.

'We knew each other from the French team and I don't understand it. I had a good relationship with him, although he is not one of those who is used to talking a lot.

'I made a foul and we are at the end of the game. Already with 3-1 and through, I lose time. There is frustration on his part, he loses a ball... this is the Real Madrid of the Galacticos eliminated by small Monaco and he did not expect this madness', he said.

Although Rothen admits he understood Zidane's reaction, he said he never receivent an explanation from his compatriot.

He added: 'I understand his nervousness but those words, directed at someone you know, with whom you trained and with whom you played in the national team ... I do not understand them.

'I am not saying that we were the best friends in the world. I have also insulted, but someone with the one that you have shared the same shirt, with whom you sat next to in the dressing room ... I think there are limits, 'he concludes.