UEFA summon Valencia and Inter players to appeals hearing

MADRID, Mar 20 (Reuters) UEFA has summoned the six Valencia and Inter Milan players involved in a brawl after a recent Champions League match to appear before an Appeals Body hearing on March 28.

Valencia players David Navarro and Carlos Marchena and Inter's Nicolas Burdisso, Maicon, Julio Cruz and Ivan Cordoba have all been asked to attend the hearing, UEFA said in a statement on their Web site (www.uefa.com) today.

The trouble flared at the end of the game on March 6 after Valencia held Inter to a 0-0 draw at the Mestalla stadium to progress to the quarter-finals.

Burdisso had to be restrained by team mates after Valencia's Carlos Marchena appeared to kick out at him.

The situation degenerated into a mass brawl when Valencia's unused substitute Navarro ran on to the pitch and punched Burdisso in the face, breaking the Argentine's nose.

Navarro was suspended for seven months, Burdisso and Maicon were banned for six matches, Marchena for four and Cordoba and Cruz for two, while Valencia and Inter were fined 155,772 euros.

Both clubs have appealed against the decisions, saying that they were too harsh.

Reuters SAM GC1845