Ribery ruled out of Champions League final

Bayern Munich will be without Franck Ribery in next month's Champions League final after UEFA hit the midfielder with a three-game suspension for his dismissal against Lyon earlier this month.

The France international was sent off in the 37th minute of Bayern's 1-0 semi-final first-leg win against Lyon last week, and was suspended for last night's return leg which the German side won 3-0.

Bayern had hoped UEFA would show leniency and cap Ribery's ban at one game, but European football's governing body enforced a three-match suspension which rules the 27-year-old out of the final in Madrid on May 22, and one further game next season.

UEFA confirmed Bayern have the right to appeal the decision within three days of receiving official notification of the ban.

Bayern felt the decision by Italian referee Roberto Rosetti to show a straight red card to Ribery at the Allianz Arena was harsh and called for UEFA to show leniency.

"It was a foul from the front, not from behind or the side. It's debatable whether you should give anything at all, but if so, it's a yellow. A red card for that is very questionable," said Bayern president Uli Hoeness in the aftermath of the incident.

"Sending Franck off was definitely harsh," added chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. "I think it was too much, but unfortunately we have to accept it."

The Bundesliga club were requested by UEFA to send a statement explaining their view of the incident, but their representations have fallen on deaf ears with UEFA's Control and Disciplinary Body taking a hard-headed stance.

Bayern will face either Inter Milan or Barcelona in next month's final at the Bernabeu.