Arsene Wenger has had his appeal against his Champions League touchline ban rejected by Uefa and will serve a two-match suspension.

The Gunners boss was handed the sanction after Uefa decided he had contravened their rules over contact with the bench while serving a one-match ban in the play-off round first leg against Udinese at Emirates Stadium last month.

Wenger appeared to be sending messages down to his assistant Pat Rice in the dugout via his first-team coach Boro Primorac, but Arsenal have insisted they were told by Uefa he was allowed to do exactly that.

Wenger appealed the ban on August 23 meaning he was allowed to be on the touchline for the second leg against Udinese the following day

However, a Uefa statement confirmed on Tuesday: “The Uefa Appeals Body has rejected the appeal lodged by Arsenal FC and Arsene Wenger against the two-match suspension handed to the manager in the wake of the English club’s Uefa Champions League play-off first leg against Udinese Calcio on 16 August.

“Wenger will now be suspended from carrying out his duties at Arsenal’s next two Uefa competition matches - the Uefa Champions League group stage games against Borussia Dortmund and Olympiacos FC on 13 and 28 September - in accordance with the decision taken by the Uefa Control and Disciplinary Body on August 22.

“The manager was awarded this suspension for not abiding by an earlier decision of the Control and Disciplinary Body during the Udinese home game - in which Wenger was serving a one-match ban imposed following Arsenal’s final Uefa Champions League game of last season.”

That was the game against Barcelona, when Wenger complained to the referee, Massimo Busacca, following the controversial red card shown to Robin van Persie.

Wenger was known to be furious that he received a ban for this alleged offence, and was left speechless after hearing of his two-game ban for his actions against Udinese.

“I don’t feel I did anything wrong’” said Wenger at the time. “We asked Uefa what we could do and we did it. It was not very clear.”

Arsenal were also fined �8,700 for improper conduct of their officials. There are no further grounds for appeal and Wenger’s ban will start in the opening group game in Dortmund next Tuesday.