FIFA president Sepp Blatter has denied making negative comments about world champion Italy during a trip to Australia.
An overnight statement from football's world governing body said Blatter had been misquoted by Australia media in comments about diving and foul play at the 2006 World Cup.
Italy media reports overnight suggested the Italian football federation is fuming at comments attributed to Blatter, who was said to have apologised to Australia for its World Cup elimination by Italy.
Italy's team manager in Germany, Gigi Riva, said he believes the apologies to Australia "are certainly a political move to have their vote at the next elections (in May). But he should not damage Italy for his own interests".
According to the reports, Blatter told SBS that the Socceroos should have advanced to the World Cup quarter-finals instead of Italy.
Italy, playing with 10 men, beat Australia 1-0 in Kaiserslautern through a controversial stoppage-time penalty, after Lucas Neill brought down Fabio Grosso. The Australians claimed Grosso took a dive.
A FIFA statement in Zurich said Australia media "misquoted the FIFA president's statements" when he had criticised the culture of diving and foul play.
"FIFA wishes to point out in all clarity that the FIFA president never did make disrespectful comments about the reigning world champions," the statement said.
"The Italian team proved that despite serious pressures at home, they stuck together as a team and delivered exceptional football.
"The Italian team proved that superior skills, team-work and individual determination are the ingredients that lead to World Cup glory."
Blatter is quoted as saying: "With my statement I simply wanted to pay credit to the Socceroos as well, because they played a great match and their lack of experience did not permit them to go to extra-time."
The statement also quoted Les Murray of SBS as saying: "At no time did the FIFA president make any inappropriate comment whatsoever concerning the Australia v Italy match, and he most certainly did not comment negatively about Italy."
Murray added: "The topic as to whether the controversial penalty kick awarded to Italy in the last moments of the game was justified or not, never even came up during the interview."
In Italy, Italian football federation (FIGC) commissioner and former international Riva was quoted as advising Blatter "to take a clinical test," saying: "Words travel worldwide and he, as president, is certainly not a good example."
Riva said that "we deserve far more respect than what Blatter is showing. We are the ones who won the World Cup".
Relationships between Italy and Blatter have been tense since he did not attend the ceremony at the Berlin stadium where the Azzurri won the final witht France on July 9.
"It was the first time ever that it did not happen," said Riva.
"And let's not forget the two-game suspension against Materazzi, which made the whole world laugh."
Defender Marco Materazzi was banned for insulting the now retired France star Zinedine Zidane, who headbutted him in the chest and was dismissed during the final, for which he received a three-game ban.
