Wenger vows UEFA appeal

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has vowed to appeal the three-match ban and 40,000-euro fine handed to him by UEFA on Friday.

Wenger was charged with improper conduct after his side’s 3-0 Champions League win over AC Milan, which saw the Gunners eliminated from the competition after failing to overhaul a 4-0 deficit from the first leg.

The Frenchman criticised referee Damir Skomina in his post-match comments, claiming too many free kicks were awarded to the Serie A champions, and also confronted the Slovenian official on the pitch after full-time.

The subsequent ban is unjustified according to Wenger, who intends to lodge a prompt appeal with Europe’s football governing body.

“It’s not justified and I will straight away appeal,” Wenger told reporters.

“I believe that they transform now UEFA competition. The referees in (are) unspeakable, untouchable icons and you cannot even have a word. The only thing they understand after the game is a report.

“I believe that when you have 25 years basic consecutively in Europe you can still ask the referee that you can have some discussion with him.”

The ban marks Wenger’s third UEFA touchline suspension within a year.

But the 62-year-old refused to accept responsibility for his poor disciplinary record.

“It’s very difficult to understand. Last year I have been suspended a second time,” he said.

“The first time was not justified, the second time was a joke because they told me what to do and after they said ‘No, sorry, it was wrong’, so I have a bit at the moment difficulties with UEFA, and I can take what is wrong on my side.

“In these different situations I think they go a bit overboard.”