UEFA have confirmed that Hibs manager Neil Lennon has been hit with an automatic one-match touchline ban after being sent to the stand in Thursday’s Europa League defeat to Brondby.
Lennon was dismissed by Spanish referee Juan Martinez Munuera for protesting against Jason Cummings’ 31st minute goal that was wrongly disallowed for offside.
It was a disappointing evening for Lennon on his Hibs dugout debut after goalkeeper Otso Virtanen gifted Brondby striker Kamil Wilczek the only goal of the game after 16 seconds.
Lennon, who has vowed to appeal his sending off, is set to be absent from the technical area for next Thursday’s second qualifying round return leg on the outskirts of Copenhagen.
The UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body will examine the incident that very same day and have the power to mete out a longer ban.
A UEFA spokesperson said: “Proceedings have been opened against Hibernian FC head coach Neil Lennon, following his dismissal from the bench at last night’s UEFA Europa League qualifying match against Brøndby IF.
“This means that he is automatically suspended for the next match.
“The UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body will deal with this case on 21 July.”
Protesting his innocence after the game, Lennon said: “I remonstrated with the linesman and was sent off for no reason whatsoever.
“I’ll have to speak to Leeann (Dempster) and see if we can appeal it because I want to appeal it, it’s just a piece of nonsense.
“It’s a double punishment. One, we got a perfectly good goal disallowed and then I’m sent to the stand for disagreeing for a decision that was wrong. It’s absolute nonsense.”
