Arsenal appeal to delay Wenger ban
Reuters - Tuesday 23 August 2011, 11:33
LONDON - Arsenal appealed to UEFA on Tuesday to
delay imposing a two-match touchline ban on manager Arsene
Wenger until after Wednesday's Champions League match at
Udinese, the club said.
UEFA ruled on Monday that Wenger broke the rules of his
original touchline ban - imposed after last season's defeat to
Barcelona when he criticised the referee - during the first leg
of their Champions League play-off against Udinese in London last
week.
As it stands, Wenger must not sit in the dugout on
Wednesday, but a club spokesman said that Arsenal want any ban
delayed because their appeal cannot be heard until Thursday.
Wenger, sitting in the stands for the first leg at Emirates Stadium, communicated to his assistant Pat Rice in the
dugout through first team coach Boro Primorac who spoke to the
bench by phone.
UEFA's match delegate warned Wenger to stop at half-time and
although he did so, UEFA handed Wenger a two-match ban and fined
Arsenal 10,000 euros for the infringement.
Arsenal spokesman Mark Gonella said: "There is a
disagreement between Arsenal and UEFA. We were told that the
manager would be permitted to relay instructions to Pat Rice
through Boro Primorac, who spoke to Pat by phone. Subsequently
we were told he could not, so that's why we are appealing
Monday's decision."
Arsenal won the first leg 1-0 and they face another tough
task against the Italians who played some polished football last
week and went close to scoring on a number of occasions.
One piece of good news for Wenger is that captain Robin van
Persie is eligible after being banned for the first leg after
his dismissal in the defeat against Barcelona at the Nou Camp
last season.
Wenger though must decide whether to play Samir Nasri, who
would then be cup-tied and unable to play for another team in
the competition with a move to Manchester City still in the
balance.