Eto'o loses appeal against three-game headbutt ban

Inter Milan striker Samuel Eto'o has lost his appeal against a three-match Serie A ban for headbutting but a 30,000 euro ($39,570) fine has been dropped, the Italian soccer federation said in the statement on Thursday.

The Cameroonian, top scorer for last season's treble winners this term, headbutted Chievo defender Cesar in the chest during Inter's 2-1 defeat last month in similar fashion to Zinedine Zidane's assault on Marco Materazzi in the 2006 World Cup final.

Eto'o has already served the first game of the ban, the 5-2 win over Parma on Sunday, and will miss Friday's game at Lazio and the home game with Napoli on Jan 6.

Inter, fifth in Serie A, are at the Club World Cup in the United Arab Emirates from December 10.