Axel Witsel will miss FC Zenit’s play-off first leg against R. Standard de Liège after the UEFA Appeals Body rejected the Russian club’s plea over his two-match suspension.
The UEFA Appeals Body met on Monday following an appeal by FC Zenit against Axel Witsel’s two-match suspension.
The application lodged by the Russian club was rejected and therefore the original decision taken by the UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body on 8 August is confirmed.
Witsel was suspended for two games. As he did not participate in Zenit’s UEFA Champions League third qualifying round second leg against AEL Limassol FC on 6 August, he has one match of the suspension still to serve. As a result, the player is not eligible to play in this week’s UEFA Champions League play-off first leg against R. Standard de Liège in Belgium.
Witsel received a red card in the first leg of the AEL Limassol tie, in Cyprus on 30 July.
