European football's governing body agreed to defer a two-match touchline ban which they imposed yesterday on Wenger and which the Gunners elected to contest.

UEFA acceded to Arsenal's request for the appeal to be heard before any suspension began, with a hearing likely to take place on Thursday.

Wenger was handed a two-match ban after being found guilty of breaching the terms of his one-match suspension during last week's first leg against Udinese.

UEFA decided the Frenchman had passed messages to the dug-out during the game at the Emirates Stadium.

Wenger claimed he had been told he was permitted to relay instructions to assistant manager Pat Rice through first-team coach Boro Primorac, who was in telephone contact with the Arsenal bench.

Reacting to tonight's news, Wenger joked: "My assistant will be less under pressure."

He added: "I will be in a position where I can do the job like I wanted.

"But the most important thing of course is that we have a good team performance and that the players and me together make the right decisions."

Speaking before learning of the reprieve, he had said: "I really don't know why I have been banned for the first time and, naively, I still don't know why I should be banned again for the second time."

A statement from UEFA tonight said: "The UEFA appeals body has granted a stay of execution to the appeal lodged earlier today by Arsenal FC and their manager Arsene Wenger.

"The appeals body will take a decision in due time, but not before Arsenal's UEFA Champions League game against Udinese Calcio in Italy on Wednesday.

"Following the play-off first leg match between Arsenal and Udinese last week, the UEFA control and disciplinary body yesterday banned Wenger from carrying out his duties at Arsenal's next two UEFA competition matches and fined the club 10,000 euros (£8,743).

"Without today's decision by the appeals body, the manager's suspension would have taken effect for the play-off second leg at Udinese."

The match in Udine tomorrow night will be vital in shaping Arsenal's season, while the financial rewards of winning the tie and reaching the Champions League group stage are obvious.

Predictably, it was not all good news for Wenger today, with Samir Nasri on the brink of joining Manchester City and Jack Wilshere ruled out for at least another fortnight.

The Football Association were also not as generous as UEFA when it came to meting out their own punishment for Arsenal's transgressions at Newcastle on the opening day of the Barclays Premier League season.

Arsenal were fined £30,000 by the FA today for failing to control their players against their hosts, who were given the same sanction.