Punishment for stamping set to follow Bowyer

Transfer will have no impact on looming suspension for Leeds midfielder charged with unsporting behaviour

Lee Bowyer will not escape a suspension, should one be imposed on him for stamping on an opponent during Leeds United's recent Uefa Cup tie against Malaga, even if he moves clubs.

The Leeds midfielder faces the prospect of a lengthy suspension and a possible fine after being charged yesterday for stamping on an opponent's head during the defeat by the Spanish club. Bowyer will discover his punishment at a meeting of Uefa's control and disciplinary body on 8 January. The European football's governing body is likely to ban him for at least three matches and possibly even longer due to his past misdemeanours in European competition.

Bowyer has admitted his guilt after he was captured by television cameras stamping on the head of the Malaga player, Gerardo, and he has been charged with unsporting behaviour. A Uefa spokesman confirmed yesterday that the ban will affect club games in Europe, and carry over even if he leaves Leeds during the January transfer window, or if he joins another club when his contract expires in the summer.

The incident happened as Leeds lost 2-1 in the second leg of their third-round tie at Elland Road and were eliminated from Europe.

Bowyer was banned for three games by Uefa in 2001 for stamping on Valencia's Juan Sanchez during the Champions' League semi-final. Last season, he picked up a six-match suspension and £10,000 fine from the Football Association after being found guilty of elbowing Gary McAllister, then at Liverpool, and in a separate incident swearing at the referee Jeff Winter.

Craig Bellamy will today discover his punishment for lashing out at Internazionale's Marco Materazzi during a Champions' League match at St James' Park last month.

Uefa's control and disciplinary panel met yesterday to decide on the Newcastle striker's punishment after he was sent off during the 4-1 defeat on 27 November. The Welshman has already served a three-match European ban this season for head-butting the Dynamo Kiev defender Tiberiu Ghioane.

Bellamy missed last week's 3-1 defeat in Barcelona as a result of his red card following a spat with Materazzi, the former Everton defender. Newcastle's captain, Alan Shearer, was also banned for that game and the trip to Bayer Leverkusen in February after being convicted on video evidence of elbowing Inter's Fabio Cannavaro, and United's Champions' League hopes may depend on the extent of his first-choice partner's punishment.

David Unsworth, the Everton defender, has lost his appeal against his sending-off against Chelsea 10 days ago.

Unsworth, who is already suspended for the Merseyside derby on Sunday, will now serve a further three-match ban and will be unavailable until the FA Cup third-round tie against Shrewsbury on 4 January. Referee Eddie Wolstenholme dismissed Unsworth for violent conduct after he clashed with Jesper Gronkjaer in the final moments of Chelsea's 3-1 win.

Wolstenholme stuck by his decision, refusing to rescind the card after appeals by Unsworth and Everton's manager, David Moyes. The Football Association's video panel decided to side with Wolstenholme.