Dias gets 3 match ban

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

MILAN, Italy -- Lazio defender Andre Dias has been banned for three Italian Cup matches for taking a swipe at the head of AC Milan midfielder Mark van Bommel.

The referee missed the incident during the second half of Milan's 3-1 quarterfinal win on Thursday, even though Van Bommel ended up on the ground.

The league judge also banned Inter Milan coach Claudio Ranieri for one match for insulting the referee during a 2-0 loss to Napoli on Wednesday.

Since Lazio and Inter have already been eliminated, Dias and Ranieri will serve out their bans next season.

Milan faces Juventus in one semifinal, and Napoli meets Siena in the other.

Milan signs striker Maxi Lopez

MILAN, Italy -- AC Milan signed Argentine striker Maxi Lopez on loan from Catania on Friday, signalling that the club has given up on signing Carlos Tevez -- at least until the end of the season.

Milan said in a statement that it has the option to gain Lopez's full rights at the end of the season, and that the forward has signed a contract through 2015. Milan had been hoping to sign Tevez from Manchester City.

Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani had several meetings with Tevez in the past month and had reportedly reached an agreement with Tevez, but a deal couldn't be reached with City.

Tevez has not played for City since he refused to warm up during a Champions League game against Bayern Munich in September. Galliani said he came close to signing Tevez earlier Friday evening.

"We were very close with City. If at 6:30 someone had asked me who was going to come to Milan, I would have responded 'Tevez,"' Galliani told Milan's TV station. "Anyhow we left things very nicely with City and we've gotten over the misunderstandings."