Uefa charges Wenger for Barça referee outburst

Arsenal manager used 'inappropriate language' after Champions League exit

Arsene Wenger was yesterday charged by Uefa with improper conduct following Arsenal's Champions League elimination on Tuesday. The Arsenal manager was upset with the performance of Swiss referee Massimo Busacca during the 3-1 defeat to Barcelona and confronted him after the match. Wenger has been charged with "inappropriate language", and will face a hearing a week today. The Arsenal midfielder Samir Nasri has also been charged.

The controversy grew from the fact that early in the second half on Tuesday Robin van Persie received a second yellow card for kicking the ball away after the whistle had been blown. Busacca issued the card even though the shot came just one second after he blew. The Dutch forward complained that he had not heard the referee.

Barcelona's right-back Dani Alves defended Busacca's refereeing yesterday. "The referee was just applying the rules," said the Brazilian. "If he blows the whistle and you shoot then it is a card. He had to go. Even when Van Persie was on the pitch they had not tested our goalkeeper. Blaming the sending-off is an excuse. We were the only team creating chances."

Sergio Busquets said Barcelona also had grievances. "If we start analysing the referee, we should be the ones complaining," he said. "There was a penalty on [Lionel] Messi and there was also what Van Persie did to Alves. If anything should disappoint Arsenal it is how little ambition they showed. Why did they come only to defend?"