Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger vowed to appeal on Friday as he was given a three-match ban by European soccer’s governing body UEFA following a charge of improper conduct during a Champions League game.

Wenger was also fined 40,000 euros ($A51,000) for comments directed at the referee after his team’s Champions League elimination.

He will miss Arsenal’s next three European matches following the suspension, which stemmed from a confrontation with referee Damir Skomina after the Gunners’ 3-0 win over AC Milan on March 6.

Speaking just before his punishment was confirmed, Wenger said he would appeal if hit by a suspension.

“If I am suspended, then it is not justified and I will appeal straight away,” Wenger said. “I believe that they have transformed UEFA competition referees to be untouchable icons, where you cannot even have a word.

“The only thing they understand after the game is the report.

“I believe that when you have 25 years consecutively in Europe, you can still ask the referee that you can have some discussion with him. It is very difficult to understand.”

The French coach will serve his third UEFA ban within a year if Arsenal qualify to play in next season’s Champions League or Europa League.

Wenger criticised Slovenian referee Damir Skomina after Arsenal were ousted by AC Milan in the last-16 round, despite a 3-0 second-leg victory. The London club had lost 4-0 in Italy.

Last year, Wenger was found guilty of a similar UEFA charge after Arsenal was knocked out by Barcelona at the same stage of the Champions League.

Then, he argued angrily with Swiss referee Massimo Busacca who had sent off Robin van Persie during a 3-1 defeat in Spain.

Wenger served his ban during this season’s playoff-round first-leg match against Udinese, but incurred a further ban for breaking rules by communicating with Arsenal’s coaches from his seat in the stand.