Chelsea's interim manager Rafael Benitez has responded to heavy criticism aimed at him by Marco Materazzi by calling the former Inter Milan defender a "liar".

In the past Materazzi has accused the Spanish coach of accepting the Inter Milan job while Jose Mourinho was still in charge at the San Siro, while earlier today he branded Benitez "weak".

However, Benitez has insisted that there is no truth to Materazzi's claims.

"He's lying. Marco Materazzi is lying. He's lying, just lying," Benitez told reporters. "Everything that he said is a lie. Simple. When he was talking with Mourinho it's a lie, because nobody knew I was going to Inter, even me. It's a lie. About the pictures, it's a lie. So he's a liar."

Materazzi and Benitez worked together during the latter's six-month stint as coach of Inter back in 2010.