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Football London
Football London
Sport
Lewis Pangratiou

Antonio Conte handed UEFA ban after Champions League red card amid Harry Kane VAR controversy

Antonio Conte has been suspended for one UEFA game, meaning he will miss Tottenham's all-important clash against Marseille next week. His sending-off came moments after Harry Kane's supposed winning goal against Sporting Lisbon was ruled out by a controversial VAR decision that adjudged the forward to be offside.

A win would've guaranteed Spurs' qualification for the knockout rounds, but a point a-piece means that they still have work to do in Group D. They will be without their head coach in France next week, though, as a furious Conte was dismissed in the closing moments of the game in north London.

As per The Athletic, the extent of his punishment is a one-match UEFA ban.

READ MORE: Tottenham player ratings vs Sporting CP: Bryan and Bentancur impact as Dier wasteful in draw

"At the end, because all the people come into the pitch and then the referee decided to send me off," he told football.london in his post-match press conference. "Only for this. I think there are moments that maybe you can be a bit intelligent to understand you have just disallowed a regular goal because the goal was regular. The ball is in front of Kane. And then the VAR.

"I repeat, you know I don't comment on referee decisions, but the VAR, this season, I don't know why between Premier League and Champions League, we are not so lucky. I don't know why until now, we are also the only team who repeated the penalty, and for every penalty I go to see, if the keeper move on line, I see a lot of the time. I want to see the repetition of a penalty in the Premier League. I think we are not so lucky with VAR but I think they create big damage.

"I would like to see if this type of decision you can take with a top team in an important game, yeah I would like to see if VAR is so brave to take this decision. I repeat this unfair decision because the ball is in front of Kane. Sorry, but I am really upset because sometimes you can accept this situation, and sometimes I think it is not good because I don't see honesty in this type of situation, and when I see this, I become really, really upset."

His absence from the touchline for the Marseille clash is a huge blow for Spurs. The Lilywhites only need a point to guarantee qualification, but three points will ensure that they finish as group winners.

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