Wenger hit by Euro touchline ban

Wenger has never been banned from the touchline before

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has been handed a touchline ban for his side's Champions League tie against Steaua Bucharest on 12 December.

The ban imposed by Uefa is a result of Wenger being sent to the stands after a row with the fourth match official as Arsenal lost 3-1 at Sevilla on Tuesday.

The offence carries an automatic one-match suspension and will also deny Wenger access to the dressing room.

A Uefa spokesman told BBC Sport the ban may be extended after an investigation.

It is the first time in his career that Wenger has received a touchline ban, but he has shrugged off the consequences of it and decided against making an appeal.

"For a long time I have wanted to watch a game from a directors' box," said Wenger.

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"We will try to deal with the problem. You can always communicate with the bench - it is a very artificial rule.

"If I say something to the guy next to me, he can communicate with the guy down on the bench."

The incident which resulted in the ban came when Wenger seemed angered by apparent time-wasting by Sevilla's Jesus Navas and remonstrated with Dutch official Reinold Wiedemeijer, who asked the Gunners' boss to move from the side of the pitch.

Wenger appeared reluctant to completely leave the area and watched the final minutes of the match from behind perimeter advertising boards, rather than in the stands.

Arsenal need to beat Steaua in their final Group H match, and hope Sevilla do not beat Slavia Prague, to finish top of their group and earn a potentially easier knockout match in the next stage.

The Gunners' defeat in Sevilla was their first of the season and meant they missed the chance to claim top spot in their group.