Wednesday, 14 March 2007 17:56:57
MILAN - Massimo Moratti spoke briefly to journalists following UEFA's verdict on the Valencia incidents:

Your comment on UEFA's verdict?
"We will certainly appeal, but first we want to see whether it is worth it. But I think we will."

Don't you think the verdict is excessive when you look at what happened?
"Yes, I do, but before reacting, I want to understand the reasons. I think this is the best thing to do, and after we will try to understand. We just want to see whether we can appeal or not."

Do you think these suspensions could affect future transfer market decisions?
"No. It's just four or six matches, but it is the Champions League. The players aren't worried, and our other transfer market decisions will be made regardless of these situations."

We thought we'd be seeing Mancini with you...
"No, absolutely not."

Do you think Navarro's seven-month ban is a light sentence?
"It's a different sentence in terms of its calculation. Here we're talking about exclusion from all competitions. I know that yesterday in Manchester (for the charity friendly to mark the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome and Manchester United's 50 years in European competitions) there was this meeting between Materazzi, Ibrahimovic and the Valencia players. This was a form of friendship which makes you understand how these things happen in football and how quickly they end. However, this is the initial verdict, and I'm hoping the final result is less serious."

Do you think this is a fair verdict?
"There's a reason for everything. So I want to understand what reasons led to this type of conclusion."