AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani has defended goalkeeper Dida over his conduct during Wednesdays Champions League defeat by Celtic.
Dida was substituted by Milan after falling to the ground following what appeared to be minimal contact from a Celtic supporter who had invaded the field.
Galliani, speaking before UEFA confirmed that they were probing the issues surrounding the incident, said in remarks reported on www.acmilan.com: Regarding the case of Dida, Milan has made no formal complaint but we must not allow the situation to be inverted so that it looks like this is Milan and Didas fault.
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That seems unjust to me. Fans should not enter the field of play and strike people violently.
Milans way of behaving is determined by the club and the club therefore will not make a formal complaint.
We have more class than that I had hoped this behaviour would be appreciated but however they now seem to be making a Milan player out to be the guilty party.
This case is not about Dida but the issue is that a fan went on to the field during a Champions League game and this should not happen.[/quote]
The supporter sold his story to The Scottish Sun today. The Sun said heâs donated the fee they gave him to the Celtic Charity Foundation but all the other tabloids said he sussed them all out beforehand and asked for the cash for himself each time. âDida And The Diddyâ was one of the headlines today.
AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani has defended goalkeeper Dida over his conduct during Wednesdays Champions League defeat by Celtic.
Dida was substituted by Milan after falling to the ground following what appeared to be minimal contact from a Celtic supporter who had invaded the field.
Galliani, speaking before UEFA confirmed that they were probing the issues surrounding the incident, said in remarks reported on www.acmilan.com: Regarding the case of Dida, Milan has made no formal complaint but we must not allow the situation to be inverted so that it looks like this is Milan and Didas fault.
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That seems unjust to me. Fans should not enter the field of play and strike people violently.
Milans way of behaving is determined by the club and the club therefore will not make a formal complaint.
We have more class than that I had hoped this behaviour would be appreciated but however they now seem to be making a Milan player out to be the guilty party.
This case is not about Dida but the issue is that a fan went on to the field during a Champions League game and this should not happen.
[/quote]
Have to say that thatâs a good little summary of how I would see things too. Dida acted the tool but itâs not about him. To ban him would be harsh. Simulation goes unpunished a lot of the time - why make a special case out of Dida.
Didaâs behaviour was appalling but there wouldnât have been an incident to begin with if the tool hadnât run onto the pitch. So in that sense Milan have a point but I still canât believe how calculating and conniving Dida was. He had a second to react after getting the merest brush off the idiot and he chose to go down and try get the game abandoned. For that he should also get banned but not for life like the Celtic supporter - maybe the next 2 group games. Celtic, as a club, should get a fine for insufficient security procedures.
Why was Rivaldo made a special case out of? What about the Ukrainian who dived at Hampden last month and got a 2 match ban retrospectively?
If Dida didnât fall down clutching his face then Celtic would have a fine and thatâs it. Instead thereâs a media furore and itâs for one reason only - Dida feigned injury. He should be severely punished and to be honest any punishment UEFA hand out will look ludicrous if Dida isnât reprimanded. UEFA have said that theyâve asked Milan to explain why Dida was substituted which is a good start. Letting other acts of simulation go unpunished doesnât make it right in this case. When itâs as blatant and calculated as this then Dida should be banned for a number of games.
The concern like most walks of life is that thereâs one rule for the elite and another for the rest. You see Feyenoord getting thrown out of Europe last season for their fansâ rioting but Manchester United and Roma supporters knocked seven shades of scheidt out of each other and they get token fines. Itâs impossible to predict what uefa will do and because Milan, the European champions, are involved it complicates matters further. I fear Milan will be the Annabel 4 and Celtic will be Brian Murphyâs parents in all this.
Quite possible Bandage but this has too much publicity for UEFA to sweep Didaâs actions under the carpet I reckon. You canât reward blatant cheating. This isnât an example of 80% or 90% of people thiking that Dida exaggerated injury or something. This is a clearcut example of outright cheating to alter the outcome of a match. That cannot be rewarded.
If thereâs anything more than a fine for Celtic I wonât be attending another Champions League match again.
UEFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against AC Milan and their goalkeeper Dida in the wake of events at last weekâs UEFA Champions League Group D match against Celtic FC in Glasgow.
Disciplinary regulations
The proceedings have been instigated on the basis of Article 5 paragraph 1 of the disciplinary regulations (Principles of conduct), under which âmember associations, clubs, as well as their players, officials and members, shall conduct themselves according to the principles of loyalty, integrity and sportsmanshipâ. UEFAâs Control and Disciplinary Body will hear the case on 11 October.
Thursday hearing
On Friday, UEFA announced that it had opened disciplinary proceedings against Celtic on charges of lack of organisation and improper conduct of supporters at the same match (Articles 6 and 11c of the UEFA disciplinary regulations). This case will also be heard by UEFA on 11 October.