Football
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Michel Platini dismisses Totti suggestion Juve are helped by refs

UEFA president Michel Platini says he is not surprised by Roma captain Francesco Totti's insinuation that Juventus are helped by referees, although he insists it is not the case.

Totti claimed that Juve are always being given a helping hand by officials after two controversial penalty decisions in favour of the Bianconeri helped them get the better of the Giallorossi when they met in Serie A earlier this month.

Juve won that game 3-2 and the postmatch debate rumbled on with a heated argument developing between the two clubs, who seem set to contest the scudetto between themselves this season.

"I've not even seen the highlights, but I've heard plenty about it," said Platini at a meeting with European Union officials on Tuesday. "From what I've heard, it's the same old story.

"I can remember these matches well, they were always good, even games between two great sides. It's always the same, though -- that Juve are always favoured and that whoever wins do so because they are helped by the referees. When I played for Juve, we did not need the referee to win."

The controversial decisions by referee Gianluca Rocchi have led to requests for replays to be introduced into the game to resolve the most contentious calls.

That is a potential scenario also being studied by FIFA, whose president Sepp Blatter is looking into experimenting in the near future.

Italian Football Federation president Carlo Tavecchio has written to FIFA offering the assistance of its domestic game in any experimentation, but Platini remains a staunch opponent of such technology being introduced into the game.

"It would be a disaster," he said. "It's something that I detest more than anything. It would not be a good thing at all for tomorrow's football. It would interrupt the flow of the game.

"In the end, though, it's all down to the International Football Association Board. It's not down to Tavecchio, nor to me, but I hope for the good of football that it never happens."

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