Francesco Totti will not face Sweden after Italy's football bosses having put off deciding whether to appeal against his three-match ban until after Friday's game.
Totti, who spat in the face of Denmark's Christian Poulsen in the Azzurri's Group C opener on Monday, was charged with gross unsporting conduct by UEFA and handed a three-match ban on Thursday.
"The lawyers, Totti, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) and his club Roma will make a decision on whether to make an appeal only after Friday's game," said Italian Football Federation president Franco Carraro in a press conference on Thursday.
"We have an option to make a quick appeal in 24 hours or an alternative that is to wait until Sunday and we will take our time to review UEFA's sentence."
Carraro, who rarely speaks, added: "My feeling with regards to Totti is like a son who has done something very bad.
"He was provoked but he has made a grave error. Human beings make mistakes, Totti has made one and in life these things happen and he and we now have to look to the future.
"We will see in the next few days if this sporting ban is definite or it can be discussed."
The Roma captain acknowledged on Thursday that he had made a mistake and apologised for the incident.
"I am distraught, he said. "I don't recognise myself in the TV images that were shown. I apologise publicly, that is not the true Francesco Totti."
With respect to the importance of Totti's absence in Giovanni Trapattoni's outfit, Carraro stated: "We believe that the 22 players that are available for Trapattoni are of a high standard and can do well."
Two FIGC lawyers accompanied Totti on Thursday morning when he gave his account of the spitting incident to UEFA's Disciplinary Committee at the Euro 2004 headquarters in Lisbon.
Carraro flew to Portugal and met journalists at the Stadio do Dragao.
He said: "We have given Totti all of our support in this matter with two FIGC lawyers taking his case and they will advise the player who will have to reach in the end which decision to take regarding a possible appeal.
"As this is a European competition, a decision has to be made within 24 hours. It was said that Totti spat intentionally at the player, and the minimum sentence is three games.
"Totti's sincere remorse to UEFA's Disciplinary Committee, and the fact that he was provoked by being elbowed, was taken into consideration and for this reason they only gave him a three-match ban.
Carraro added that the Italians will decide on Friday whether or not to appeal, but Totti will definitely not play against Sweden.
Meanwhile, Totti took part in the team's last training session prior to Friday's game in Porto. Neither the coach nor his players have made any comments so far regarding the Totti incident.
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