Totti charged by UEFA for spitting
 |  Totti shows his skills against rival Poulsen in Monday's game |
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LISBON, Portugal (Reuters) -- UEFA have charged Italian playmaker Francesco Totti with "gross unsporting conduct" for spitting at Denmark's Christian Poulsen in Monday's Euro 2004 draw.
Totti's fate will be determined at a UEFA disciplinary committee hearing in Portugal on Thursday after a complant by the Danish Football Association.
If found guilty the Roman could be forced to sit out several matches and if UEFA takes a hard line could even be banned for the rest of the competition.
The DBU said in a statement that "Totti on several occasions, unprovoked, spat in Poulsen's face."
"That is now clearly proved by television footage and still pictures from the match," said the DBU, adding that UEFA already had talked to Poulsen about the incident during the Group C match in Guimaraes.
Television images broadcast by Italy's RAI network showed Totti spitting in the face of midfielder Poulsen and precedents suggest the Roma captain could receive a lengthy suspension.
In the most recent case in European competition, Lazio's Serbian defender Sinisa Mihajlovic was banned for eight games after spitting at Chelsea's Romanian striker Adrian Mutu in a Champions League match in November.
Totti, whose face adorns much of the promotional material for Italy's Euro 2004 campaign and who has several lucrative sponsorship deals, had until midnight on Wednesday to offer a defense.
Although a hero to Roma fans, Totti has yet to produce his best on a major stage for his country and was sent off for diving in Italy's defeat by co-hosts South Korea in a controversial World Cup second-round match two years ago.
The forward, who had a frustrating game, was booked in injury time on Monday for a wild challenge on Danish defender Rene Henriksen and he tangled with Poulsen on several occasions.
"We were really surprised by the news," Italian Federation vice president Innocenzo Mazzini told reporters. "Obviously we are not happy but he (Totti) is calm and we are waiting for UEFA's decision which we will respect.
"Everyone is useful but no-one is irreplaceable."
Totti trained with the rest of the Italian squad on Wednesday afternoon.
The case emerged after Danish television channel DR1 News showed an incident from Monday's game which had not immediately been picked up during live coverage.
Soccer players regard spitting as one of the most disrespectful actions possible by an opposing player.
At the 1990 World Cup, Dutchman Frank Rijkaard spat at Rudi Voeller, now the Germany coach, in an infamous incident constantly replayed on television.
Italy's next Group C game is against Sweden on Friday.
