Three-match ban Rooney to miss all group games

FABIO CAPELLO’S worst fears were realised last night when UEFA handed Wayne Rooney a three-match ban that will see him miss all of England’s Euro 2012 group games.

Rooney’s kick at Montenegro’s Miodrag Dzudovoic last Friday was judged “an assault” by UEFA’s control and disciplinary panel, who stuck to the letter of the law in handing out the punishment despite a plea for leniency from the FA.

It means Capello now has to judge whether to take Rooney as part of his squad to Poland and Ukraine, and hope that he can make an impact if England make it through to the quarter-finals.