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Jordan slams Gattuso claims

Joe Jordan has denied accusations he made offensive comments at Gennaro Gattuso © PA Photos

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Tottenham coach Joe Jordan has hit back at AC Milan midfielder Gennaro Gattuso's 'pathetic' accusations of offensive behaviour.

The duo nearly came to blows during the two clubs' Champions League last 16 clash on Tuesday, with words exchanged and Gattuso appearing to grab Jordan by the throat and headbutt him during the course of a prolonged confrontation.

In the aftermath the 33-year-old - who has subsequently been charged by UEFA - apologised for his conduct, although his agent subsequently suggested that Jordan had called his client a 'f****** Italian b******'.

Jordan vehemently denies such accusations, however.

"To come up with something like that is pathetic," Jordan said. "It is completely and utterly untrue and something so wildly inaccurate doesn't do him much credit.

"He clearly doesn't realise I consider playing for Milan the proudest time of my career, that my daughter lives and works in Italy and that I love the country and the people. Does that sound like someone who would come out with the sort of line Gattuso has got his agent to say? I just find it pathetic on his part, I really do."

Jordan, for his part, did not seem to react to the Italian's actions - and insists that he has drawn a line under the incident, preferring instead to focus on the positives from the English club's eventual 1-0 win.

"I won't dignify his actions at the end by saying too much about it," he said. " He will have to try and explain it away himself, but for me it's over.

"What happened shouldn't detract from a great performance and result. There was a lot of maturity about us, and the boys will derive great benefit from the experience."

Jordan's son, Tom, believes there would have only been one winner had his father been drawn into a brawl.

"I was thinking it probably wasn't the best idea for Gattuso to go down that path," he told The Mirror. "It would have been an interesting battle I think dad is a little bit wily, so maybe his experience would have kicked in and given him the edge."

With Gattuso facing a possible ten-match suspension from European action, Milan have defended their player.

Club chief executive Adriano Galliani said: "What Rino did was an unpleasant episode that was not good. But he has been deeply provoked and should not be criminalised."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.