Italian football player Gennaro Gattuso, who plays as midfielder for AC Milan, will not be able to play in the next four championship matches due to a sanction imposed by UEFA. Last Tuesday, during a game against the Tottenham Spurs, Gattuso grabbed the Spur’s assistant coach by the neck and later head-butt him.

A statement published in the UEFA website explains that Gattuso has been suspended for four UEFA club competition matches by the Uefa Control and Disciplinary Body. The penalty was added by the Union of European Football Associations to a previous one-match suspension due to yellow card accumulation.

“What Rino did was an unpleasant episode that was not good. But he has been deeply provoked and should not be criminalized,” commented Milan chief executive Adriano Galliani before the verdict was revealed. Gattuso claims Jordan insulted him and denigrated his nationality.

On the other hand, Joe Jordan has said Gattuso’s claims are completely false and are nothing but a pathetic invention of the football player. “He clearly doesn't realize I consider playing for Milan the proudest time of my career, that my daughter lives and works in Italy and that I love the country and the people.”