Football: Livvy sack Argy star.

Byline: SAM McLEO

LIVINGSTON booted out Sergio Berti yesterday after he spat on a young team-mate.

The former Argentina World Cup star had his contract ripped up by the club after the incident when he spat on highly-rated teenager Richard Brittain during a friendly win over Morecambe on Sunday.

Berti was expected to make his SPL debut against Well tomorrow.

But his career in Scottish football was brought to a shameful end as he sneaked away from the ground yesterday in disgrace, forcing Livvy to abandon plans to announce a new sponsorship package.

Instead of publicising a pounds 1million bonus deal with sponsors Intelligent Finance, grim-faced chairman Dominic Keane dropped the bombshell news of 33-year-old Berti's dismissal.

Keane, flanked by manager Jim Leishman, he said: "We've ended the contract of Sergio Berti onthe grounds of gross misconduct. This follows an incident which took place during the friendly against Morecambe on Sunday.

"It's a sad state of affairs but we do not feel this is a harsh decision. An incident like this is totally unacceptable.

"We preferred not to keep this quiet. We could not allow this to go unpunished for the sake of the rest of our squad."

Moments before the statement Leishman was spotted outside the stadium in an angry car park confrontation with Berti's agent Sonny Scherer

Later, Berti and Scherer claimed they had no knowledge of the dramatic events which had unfolded.

Leishman said: "It is a board decision and I am 100 per cent behind it. It's done now and we have to focus on the game on Saturday."

But Scherer said: "I think there is no trouble at all. Sergio missed some training because his son has been unwell. He is looking forward to Saturday's game."

It's a shameful end for Berti who joined Livvy on a two-year deal from Ecuadorians Barcelona de yaquil.

CAPTION(S):

SHAMEFUL ENDING: Sergio Berti; ACTED QUICKLY: Keane