Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger and midfielder Samir Nasri will not appeal their one-match suspensions handed down by UEFA and will miss the club’s next European fixture. Wenger and Nasri were both suspended for what UEFA termed “inappropriate language” towards referee Massimo Busacca during the club’s Champions League round of 16 second-leg against Barcelona that saw the English club knocked out of the competition.
Arsene Wenger & Samir Nasri Will Not Appeal UEFA Suspensions
"Arsenal have decided not to appeal against UEFA bans for Arsene Wenger and Samir Nasri," read a statement on Arsenal's official website. "The manager and the midfielder were each suspended for one European match following charges of improper conduct in the wake of Arsenal's Champions League exit at Barcelona. Wenger was also fined €10,000.''
Both Wenger and Nasri were incensed when Robin van Persie was shown a second yellow card in the second leg of the tie against Barcelona. Arsenal were leading on aggregate at the time when van Persie struck a ball towards goal after the referee’s whistle. Van Persie indicated that he could not hear the whistle because of all the noise at the 99,354 seat Camp Nou in Barcelona, but the referee sent him off anyways. Wenger and Nasri both had words with the referee, words UEFA deemed to be inappropriate.
Wenger did not take the suspension lightly, calling UEFA a “dictatorship” after the announcement was handed down. The club could have appealed the suspensions, but now it is clear that they will not.
Arsenal are no longer in any UEFA competition this season so Wenger and Nasri’s suspensions will take place next season. The team are in second place in the English Premier League and will likely qualify for the Champions league next season so the two will likely miss out on the club’s first group stage match next season.
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