January 11 – UEFA have banned Bayern Munich star Thomas Muller for two matches after he was sent off against Ajax in the final game of the Champions League group stage against Ajax.
The German international midfielder will play no part in the heavyweight last-16 encounter with Liverpool though he is expected to appeal.
His dismissal represented the first time in a career spanning over 460 appearances for Bayern that the 29-year-old had been shown a straight red card.
Muller was quick to point out after the game that there was no malice in his tackle on Nico Tagliafico though UEFA decided that action had to be taken.
Ajax defender Maximilian Woeber will miss both legs of his team’s last last-16 clash with defending champions Real Madrid after also being banned for two games.
UEFA have also banned Croatia defender Dejan Lovren for one international match over comments he made on social media about opponents Spain following his side’s 3-2 Nations League win in November.
Lovren posted a video on Instagram where he appeared to boast about elbowing Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos and made insulting comments about the Spain team following the game on March 15. He also told reporters after the match that Spain were “rude on the pitch” and bad losers.
UEFA said that Lovren had fallen foul of a clause in its disciplinary rules which penalises anyone “whose conduct is insulting or otherwise violates the basic rules of decent conduct.”
Contact the writer of this story at andrew.warshaw@insideworldfootball.com