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Morata and Totti square off

Cape Town - Spaniard Alvaro Morata has rejected Roma captain Francesco Totti's claims that Juventus receive favourable treatment from referees.

The 21-year-old, who joined the Bianconeri from Real Madrid in the off-season, came on as a substitute in Sunday's clash with the Giallorossi at the Juventus Stadium before seeing red for a strong challenge on Kostas Manolas.

Manolas reated angrily to the striker's challenge and also received his marching orders, with both teams reduced to 10 men.

Juve held on to claim a 3-2 victory, though, with Totti subsequently telling the press that he felt his side were beaten by the referee.

And Morata has hit out at Totti's controversial suggestion, telling Goal: "If they had won, they would not be saying anything.

"It could be that he was just upset about the game, as it's not easy to take when you lose such an important game in the closing minutes.

"Totti is a great player, a historical one, but perhaps he should not have said that."

Reflecting on his clash with Manolas, Morata added: "It was really weird. I did not do anything.

"I was strong [in the tackle], but only because it was a game in which you had to be strong.

"It was what my team needed: to stop the game; be aggressive. On the previous play, he pushed me against the barrier. But this is football.

"I do not know why Manolas had this reaction because they were also kicking us.

"I did nothing and I hope they can do something to reduce it yet but the important thing is that we won."

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