Cassano's career in the balance

A 10-man medical commission will meet on Monday to determine if the Italy striker Antonio Cassano can play again following minor heart surgery.

Cassano's club, Milan, said yesterday they had asked the Italian Sports Medicine Federation to gather a panel of experts to analyse the striker's condition.

Cassano was sent to hospital after falling ill with stroke-like symptoms on the team plane following a 3-2 victory at Roma on 29 October. He then had surgery six days later to repair a small cardiac malformation.

Cassano resumed training on his own in January and started training with his team-mates on Thursday, although time is running out for him to make Italy's European Championship squad.