Soccer: AC Milan's Gennaro Gattuso will discover on Monday the extent of his punishment following his extraordinary antics in Tuesday night's Champions League encounter with Tottenham.
The combative midfielder faces a lengthy European ban after Uefa announced they had opened disciplinary proceedings following his clash with Spurs coach Joe Jordan.
Gattuso headbutted Jordan after the final whistle of the last-16 encounter, which Spurs won 1-0 thanks to a Peter Crouch goal in the 80th minute. The former Italy international also confronted Jordan earlier in the match, grabbing the Scot by the throat and pushing him in the face as tempers boiled over.
Gattuso's agent Claudio Pasqualin has since stated that Jordan had used provocative language towards the midfielder prior to their clash. Spurs this afternoon declined the opportunity to comment on his claims.
Gattuso later apologised for his actions, saying: "I lost control. There is no excuse for what I did. I take my responsibilities for that. I was nervous. I didn't want to argue with players and I did it with him, but I was wrong to do what I have done."
Gattuso picked up a yellow card during the course of a petulant performance, which also saw him clash with Crouch. The caution - awarded for a rash challenge on Steven Pienaar after which the Italian repeatedly hit the turf in anger - ensures the 33-year-old will be suspended for the return leg at White Hart Lane on March 9th.
That ban is certain to be extended when Uefa's Control and Disciplinary Body meet on Monday to discuss the case, and speculation is rife as to the length of the punishment that might be handed down. Uefa rules stipulate a minimum three-match ban for assault, although the governing body have the power to dole out lengthier suspensions in exceptional cases.
Chelsea's Didier Drogba was banned for six Uefa competition matches - two of them deferred - following his actions at the end of a Champions League match against Barcelona in 2009, when the Ivorian raged at the referee before swearing into a live television camera.
Gattuso's actions were greeted with no small measure of bemusement by many in the Spurs camp, including manager Harry Redknapp.
"When he came over at the end of the game I thought he was going to apologise to Joe," Redknapp told talkSPORT. "I shook hands with him, I thought he was okay and realised he'd made a mistake. Next thing I know he's nutted Joe. Not that it had much effect on him, all them balls he's headed over the years.
"Joe's the quietest man in the world, but a very hard man. You wouldn't want to pick an argument with him. But he's the loveliest guy you could ever wish to meet. I don't know what happened with Gattuso - he lost his head over something."
Spurs defender Jonathan Woodgate echoed Redknapp's view of the incident, saying: "It was handbags. Whoever goes toe to toe with Joe Jordan must be brave."
Goalscorer Crouch added: "Gattuso was getting involved with someone and everyone. It's just one of those things I suppose."
The ill-tempered encounter was also marred by Matthieu Flamini's ugly two-footed challenge on Vedran Corluka which left the Spurs full-back on crutches at the end of the match.
The former Arsenal player was booked at the time and is therefore poised to escape further punishment, although the incident drew the fury of Redknapp after the match.
"My tackle on Corluka was a tough one, but I hit the ball," Flamini said. "I went into their dressing room to ask how he was doing. I hope it's nothing serious."
Corluka is expected to have an X-ray in the next 48 hours on his ankle, which bore the brunt of the challenge.
