Appeals Committee upholds Simeone's three-game ban

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone will miss the final three games of the Liga season after the Appeals Committee upheld his three-match touchline ban.

Simeone was sanctioned after a ball was thrown from the technical area during Atletico's 1-0 win over Malaga at the Vicente Calderon on Saturday, disrupting a counter-attack from the visitors.

The Argentine boss, who was sent to the stands and denied he had thrown the ball, appealed the Spanish Football Federation's three-game ban, but that was dismissed by the Appeals Committee on Thursday.

Simeone will now watch from the stands as second-placed Atletico attempt to dethrone title holders Barcelona, with matches against Rayo Vallecano, Levante and Celta Vigo to come.

The Spanish capital club, however, will have Simeone in the dugout for their Champions League semi-final return leg at Bayern Munich next week.

Atletico – runners-up in 2014 – hold a slim 1-0 lead over the German champions heading to Munich on Tuesday.