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Bergkamp shocked at stamp review

ARSENAL star Dennis Bergkamp has admitted he is surprised that the Football Association were looking into his apparent stamp on Blackburn defender Nils-Eric Johansson in last month's defeat to Rovers.

The Dutchman faces an anxious wait to see if he will be charged with violent conduct and be forced to serve a possible three-match ban.

The FA video panel are reviewing the incident and Bergkamp is shocked that so much has been made of it because referee Graham Barber 'said there was nothing in it'.

Bergkamp insists that he did not stamp on the Swedish defender and that too much is being made of the incident.

"I'm very surprised (that the FA called for the video)," said Bergkamp. "The word stamp is a very big word for a minor incident.

"The referee saw the incident and felt that nothing was wrong. He told me to calm down which I did.

"Right after the game I spoke to a lot of newspaper people but they never mentioned the incident. So then it is on television and then it is in the newspapers. Then the FA decide to look at the video.

"This is a strange combination for me because if it is not shown on television then nothing is wrong.

"I am very disappointed about this situation as the referee said there was nothing in it and he was standing 20 yards away."

Bergkamp also hinted that he feels that the Gunners are being victimised by the FA after skipper Patrick Vieira was handed a two-match ban last month for his sending-off against Chelsea.

"We (Arsenal) don't want to seem like we are feeling sorry for ourselves but we do feel there have been some harsh decisions against us," added Bergkamp.