Serie A strugglers Cagliari have been deducted three points after taking unauthorised legal action against a former player for alleged defamation.

The relegation-threatened club took action against defender Gianluca Grassadonia after he made a series of critical comments about Cagliari in an newspaper interview.

The Italian FA (FIGC) has punished the club for breaking its rules on taking disputes outside the realm of sporting justice without permission.

Cagliari president Massimo Cellino said he will appeal.

"To the players and the squad I just say that the points have only been taken away temporarily," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"This should not distract us from the road to safety [from relegation]. I'm relaxed about how I handled things. I have always been careful to respect the rules. It's a big misunderstanding."

Cellino was also banned for a year and fined 10,000 euros, while the club received a fine of 20,000 euros.

Outspoken president Cellino has been heavily criticised for repeatedly hiring and panic-firing a succession of coaches, who themselves would be re-hired within months of being sacked. It culminated in Davide Ballardini taking charge of the club for the second time in his career after the dismissal of Nedo Sonetti, who himself replaced Balardini in 2006.

At one point Cellino had announced that Marco Giampaolo - who was sacked earlier in the season - had accepted a return to the hotseat, only for the coach himself to deny the claims.

The three-point deduction, if upheld, leaves Cagliari with just 15 points from 25 games and would be a huge blow to their hopes of survival.

"It's another body blow and a new hurdle to overcome, but I'm sure the three points will be given back," Ballardini told Cagliari's website.

"The players are attached to the colours and they will cut a fine figure tomorrow [at home against Genoa] too."

Reda Maher / Reuters