This morning we hear that Arsenal manage Arsène Wenger is facing a touchline ban, when UEFA meet review the incident on December 13 . He will serve an automatic 1 game suspension when Arsenal meets Steaua Bucharest on December 12. We all knew this was going to happen, William Gaillard, Uefa’s director of communications and public affairs said, “If you are expelled from the technical area then you have to leave. The case concerning Arsène Wenger will be looked at again but the rules are quite clear on this.” Let’s see what kind of punishment the boffins at UEFA come up with this time.

Mr Wenger can be a very stubborn man, refusing to retreat to the stands even with the best efforts of the fourth official, during the Sevillia match. He was extremely aggrieved at what he perceived to be cynicism and play-acting by Sevillia. Wenger should have come to expect this in champions league football.

Meanwhile Cesc Fàbregas defended his manager’s decision to rest several players for the Sevillia match. Fàbregas said: “The only team that can do something as brave as that to develop young players is Arsenal. The manager only deserves praise for it. I have also learned from defeats like that in the past when I was a younger player.” A statement that I completely agree with, how many teams can, or is willing to, give this level of exposure to their young players? None. This defeat will also lower the burden of going totally undefeated, Arsenal have lost nothing, whilst not being totally meaningless, this was the best game to end the undefeated run.

Some will say that it’s not good coming second in the group, but look where being group winners got us last season. I say bring on the big boys, we thrive on these type of games. Almunia feels we can still win the group, but it really doesn’t matter.

Let’s look forward to Barcelona, Real et al. ’till tomorrow