Inter coach denies club pressure to omit Sneijder

MILAN (AP) -Inter Milan coach Andrea Stramaccioni says his decision to keep Wesley Sneijder out of the squad is not linked to the player's dispute over a new contract.

The Netherlands playmaker is set for talks with club officials on Monday over a deal which reportedly requires him to take a pay cut.

Stramaccioni says after Inter's 1-0 win over Palermo that "the president didn't tell me not to use him. It's my choice, and it's because I feel other players are in better form ... You can be sure that there is no (blackmail) case.''

Sneijder was injured for two months but is now fit.

On Wednesday, global footballers' union FIFPro highlighted Sneijder's recent exclusion and called for talks about clubs using "blackmail behavior'' to force players into signing new contracts.