Borja Valero "saddened" by four-match ban

Fiorentina midfielder Borja Valero has hit out at referee Andrea Gervasoni following the incident in the draw with Parma on Monday night that led to him being banned for four Serie A matches.

Valero and Parma's Gianni Munari were both sent off in stoppage time, but the Spaniard's ban was extended to four games because he was adjudged to have pushed the referee.

"I want to say that everything that happened in Parma saddened me," FourFourTwo quotes Valero as saying. "I am disappointed with the system. What the referee wrote after the match shows a lack of respect to my integrity as a person and a player.

"I did nothing to deserve getting sent off, all I was doing was separating two players who were quarrelling and it was me who got sent off.

"Never in my life have I done anything against the referee. Everything that Gervasoni said was lies."

Munari will serve only a one-match suspension for his red card.