SOFIA: A week ago, Michel Platini was wading into Dinamo Bucharest players when a friendly against CSKA Sofia degenerated into a mass brawl but the Romanians were more impressed by his football skills and promptly signed the striker from the Bulgarian side.     The 28-year-old Brazilian, named after the former France captain and current UEFA president, has signed a three-year deal with the Romanian league leaders yet only last Wednesday, he was blamed for sparking the melee in the Turkish resort of Antalya.

The hot-tempered Platini reacted badly when he was fouled in the second half of the match, retaliating by kicking offender Laurentiu Rus and punching several other of his future team mates before both players were sent off.

Platini, who has played for 10 clubs in as many years, travelled back to Romania with his new team but club officials kept his presence a secret from the rest of the squad as a precautionary measure.

“It's normal for him to be apprehensive about travelling with the team - he was alone and there were 20 of us,” Dinamo striker Marius Niculae told local media.

“It's something between us and we'll settle this in the dressing room.”

Dinamo are chasing their first league title since 2007 and top the standings on 40 points after 18 games, a point clear of CFR Cluj. The Romanian league is set to resume from its annual winter break on Feb. 25.