Gunners go into battle for Wenger

ARSENAL will fight Arsene Wenger’s latest touchline ban imposed by UEFA — which would see the Gunners boss forced to watch tomorrow night’s crunch Champions League play-off against Udinese from the stands.

Wenger was found guilty of failing to abide by UEFA rules surrounding his original ban — imposed after last season’s last-16 defeat to Barcelona when he had criticised the referee — after he passed messages to the coaching staff at the Emirates Stadium in the first leg, before being warned not to continue by match delegates at half-time.

Arsenal, though, maintain officials from Europe’s governing body had told them in the build-up to the game Wenger would be permitted to relay instructions to assistant manager Pat Rice through first-team coach Boro Primorac, who was in telephone contact with the Arsenal bench.