Totti won't appeal ban

Francesco Totti will not appeal against his three-match ban for spitting in the face of Danish defender Christian Poulsen.

The Italian superstar was suspended by UEFA for "gross unsporting conduct" following the incident in the goalless draw between the sides this week.

His lawyer Giulia Bongiorno today confirmed the Roma player would not question the sentence handed out for behaviour that Italy's fans are unlikely to forgive or forget.

"Having discussed the matter with Totti and the federation, we have decided not to make an appeal," said Bongiorno. "The sentence is correct. They took into consideration the player's apology and also the provocation that he was under during the game."

The player Italians would normally forgive anything is being slaughtered back home for a piece of ugly stupidity. As Paolo Rossi put it: "It is absolutely unjustifiable. Spitting at an opponent is the worst act that can be committed on a football pitch."

Totti knows it now. After picking up a three-match ban, he was said by coach Giovanni Trapattoni to be "regretful and repentant".

His team-mates will stand by 'Franco' with captain Fabio Cannavaro claiming Totti was "provoked with kicks, toe-treading and elbows".

But that will cut no ice with a nation which can only see a selfish mega-rich star who has thrown Italy's hopes of qualifying for the quarter-finals of Euro 2004 into jeopardy with Trapattoni forced into a wholesale restructuring for tonight's Group C match against Sweden in Porto.