Lopez snaps at Icardi over kids' pictures

MILAN - Sampdoria striker Maxi Lopez has called on Inter Milan counterpart Mauro Icardi to stop publishing photographs of his children.

Lopez fathered two children with ex-girlfriend Wanda Nara, who is now Icardi's significant other.

Icardi's relationship with Nara has become a regular feature in the Italian sports press, mainly due to the couple's regular 'selfies' and Icardi's almost-daily declarations of love for the Argentine model, both on and off the pitch.

On Wednesday, Nara caused a minor Twitter storm when she posted a semi-nude picture of Icardi on which Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper labelled an 'After-Sex' selfie.

But a picture of the high-profile Argentine couple, posted on Monday while they toured Venice with Lopez and Nara's two sons, has prompted Lopez's ire.

Icardi has previously mentioned Lopez and Nara's sons on Twitter and pictures of the children wearing Icardi's Inter kit have been published in the press.

But this time Lopez appears to have lost patience.

"I can understand that, being a public figure, he publishes photos. But I'm not comfortable with my kids being in those photos," Lopez said in comments to Sky Sport that were carried by www.gazzetta.it on Wednesday.

Lopez, who has regular contact with his children, added: "The kids are my strength... and they know I will do everything to protect them because they mean everything to me."

The incident is likely to be amplified by the fact Sampdoria host Inter in what should be a mouthwatering Serie A clash this Sunday.

Lopez, however, said personal emotions won't be spilling over.

"There are a lot of reasons why this match will be particular. Personal emotions will be involved, but at the end of the day it's only a football match," he said.

"We'll be going out to win but it won't be an easy match for us. They are a very strong side and to beat a big side like Inter we'll have to give it 110 percent."