England striker Wayne Rooney will miss all of the Euro 2012 group stage after being slapped with a three-match ban by UEFA.
Rooney saw red for kicking out at Miodrag Dzudovic in England s final qualifying match against Montenegro last Friday, and has now suffered the consequences for the rash challenge.
The Football Association (FA) along are expected to launch an appeal against the decision on the striker s behalf after seeing their hopes of a reduced ban dashed by UEFA, despite Rooney himself writing to the organisation pleading for leniency.
A statement from UEFA said: The UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body has today handed down a three-match suspension to England forward Wayne Rooney following his dismissal during the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifier in Montenegro last Friday.
Today s decision was taken in relation to the red card shown to Rooney for assault after 74 minutes of England s final Group G game, the 2-2 draw with Montenegro in Podgorica.
The striker will now be suspended from playing in his country s next three UEFA national competition matches for which he would be eligible.
An appeal may be lodged against the verdict of the UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body within three days of the dispatch of the reasoned decision.
The FA also released a statement clarifying it will wait on all the evidence from UEFA before deciding their next move.
Further to UEFA’s decision to impose a three match suspension on Wayne Rooney following his sending off against Montenegro, the FA await the full reasons from the disciplinary committee, and will give full consideration to the decision internally, before deciding on any response to UEFA or making any further public comment, the FA statement read.
