UEFA delay decision on Milan's place

UEFA have delayed a decision until next week on whether to allow Milan to participate in this season's Champions League.

European soccer's governing body will make a decision by next Wednesday, UEFA said after a meeting of it emergency panel yesterday.

The draw for the third qualifying round takes place today and Milan will be included on a provisional basis, UEFA said.

The six-times European champions were found guilty in the Serie A match-fixing probe but became eligible to compete in the third qualifying round after an Italian soccer appeals court adjudicating in the scandal reduced their initial punishment.

Milan, initially deducted 15 points, had the deficit cut to eight on Tuesday.

"As far as the position of Milan is concerned, the Panel took note of a report submitted by the UEFA Chief Disciplinary Inspector on the question whether it would be appropriate, due to the particular circumstances, to admit Milan to the 2006-07 UEFA club competitions," UEFA said in a statement.

"Following this report, the Emergency Panel has decided to further examine whether to admit Milan to the 2006-07 UEFA club competitions."

With Juventus stripped of their title and demoted to Serie B and European qualifiers Fiorentina and Lazio deducted points, dropping them out of the European qualifying places, Italy's entries to the Champions League and UEFA Cup have been re-assigned.

Inter, named as the 2005-06 champions by the Italian FA on Wednesday, and Roma have been put forward for the group stage, with Milan and Chievo the entries for the third qualifying round stage.