Arsenal's poor disciplinary record was pushed back into the spotlight yesterday when UEFA banned the full-back Lee Dixon for at least one game following an elbowing incident which the referee originally missed.
Dixon's team-mate Ray Parlour has also been suspended for at least one match after being sent off in the same Champions League tie against Lens for kicking out at the French midfielder Cyril Rool.
The episodes took place near the end of last Wednesday's game in which Arsenal lost to Lens and as a result failed to reach the quarterfinals of the competition.
Both players will be banned for Arsenal's final Group E game at Panathinaikos next Wednesday, but they could have their suspensions extended when UEFA's disciplinary committee meets again next month. Any further ban would be carried over to the next time the pair play in Europe.
Dixon was left in apparent agony after an angry exchange with the Lens striker Tony Vairelles, which resulted in the Frenchman being sent off.
The Swedish referee, Anders Frisk, took no action against Dixon at the time. But after being asked by UEFA to watch video evidence, Frisk decided that Dixon started the trouble and was guilty of unsporting behaviour by elbowing Vairelles in the back.
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