Wayne Rooney is expected to discover the length of his Euro 2012 ban on Thursday.
England striker could have finals ban extended
Wayne Rooney is expected to discover the length of his Euro 2012 ban for his red card against Montenegro on Thursday.
The Manchester United striker should receive a three-match ban for violent conduct if Uefa's disciplinary regulations are followed to the letter, but the Football Association are hoping a more lenient sanction will be imposed.
Uefa's control and disciplinary body will make their decision late this afternoon and there real fears he could miss all of England's three group matches in the Euro 2012 finals next summer.
Rooney was shown a straight red by referee Wolfgang Stark for kicking Miodrag Dzudovic.
The European body's disciplinary regulations article 10(e) state the "suspension for three competition matches or for a specified period for assaulting another player or other person present at the match".
Serious assaults warrant a five-match ban, say the regulations, but the FA have submitted a dossier to the disciplinary body pleading for leniency.
In 2004, Chelsea's Marcel Desailly was initially handed a three-match ban for elbowing Monaco's Fernando Morientes but that was reduced on appeal to two games after Uefa said the act was not deliberate, and taking into account his good record.
Andrey Arshavin was also given a two-match ban and missed Russia' first two games of Euro 2008 after being sent off against Andorra, but television evidence was less clear-cut than in Rooney's case.
Rooney has not been sent off in any European competition for six years but any hope of a one-match ban looks highly unlikely.
