Germany coach Loew facing touchline ban

BEIJING, June 18 -- Germany coach Joachim Loew will know on Wednesday whether he will be banned from the touchline for the following day's European Championship quarterfinal match against Portugal.

Loew is facing a possible suspension after he and Austria coach Josef Hickersberger were banished to the stands by the referee after they appeared to bicker with the fourth official.

UEFA's control and disciplinary body was set to make a decision once it had read the referee's report.

Loew would also be able to appeal against any ban, so the timing further hampers Germany's preparations for the crucial match in Basel, Switzerland. The three-time champion has already had one day's less rest than Portugal, which completed its group matches on Sunday.

Any ban for Loew, who stood toe-to-toe with the fourth official before referee Manuel Mejuto Gonzalez sent him from the field, would prevent him from having any contact with his players from the moment they arrive at the stadium until after the match.

He would not be allowed to sit on the bench, have a radio link to his assistants, give a pre-match talk or visit the changing rooms at halftime. The coaches shook hands before trudging away, with whistles and jeers echoing around the stadium from bemused fans.

"Increasingly we've been having problems with the fourth official over the past two years," Loew said.

"I just told him I want to be able to concentrate on my job and not listen to his comments all the time. I may have been a bit loud at the end. I may have stepped out of the zone at some point, I really don't know now. But I don't think it's right to inhibit the coach in doing his job."

Loew said he went to the locker room at halftime because he was not sure of the procedures and talked to the players before getting "dragged out" by UEFA officials.

Loew's assistant Hansi Flick assumed control on the bench.

(Source: Shanghai Daily)