UEFA rejects Arsenal appeal of Wenger ban

Arsenal's bid to overturn a two-match touchline ban handed to manager Arsene Wenger has ended in failure after European governing body UEFA rejected the club's appeal on Monday. A UEFA statement said the organisation's appeals body had dismissed Arsenal's appeal against a two-match suspension handed to Wenger following the Champions League play-off first leg against Udinese last month. Wenger will now be barred from the dugout for Arsenal's first two Champions League group matches against Borussia Dortmund and Olympiakos on September 13 and 28 respectively. Wenger landed in hot water for allegedly communicating illegally with the Arsenal bench from the stands during the Udinese match, in violation of an earlier one-match suspension. Arsenal were also fined 10,000 euros for improper conduct during last month's match, UEFA confirmed in a statement.