Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has claimed that the decision to hand Eric Bailly a three-match ban for his sending-off in last season's Europa League semi-final is "very, very harsh".
Bailly was shown a straight red card in the closing stages of his side's semi-final second leg against Celta Vigo after raising his hands to John Guidetti's face in an incident which also saw Celta defender Facundo Roncaglia sent off.
UEFA ruled on Monday that the 23-year-old must now serve an additional two-game ban - having already missed the Europa League final - which sees him suspended for the Super Cup meeting with Real Madrid and United's opening Champions League group game.
"My view is that normally with UEFA what you get is what you get, and you accept with a happy face or with a bad face - but you always have to accept," Mourinho told reporters.
"It was a red card in a semi-final. I think the punishment of not to play the final is enough. It's a big punishment not to play the final, it is a big punishment, and I say that normally he would deserve clean sheet and start the next season and ready to play the Super Cup.
"But now he's an important player for us that is not able to play the Super Cup and also the first match of the Champions League group phase. But not to play the Europa League final and the European Super Cup I think is very, very harsh punishment."
Bailly made 11 starts during United's Europa League campaign, which ended with them beating Ajax in the final to lift the trophy.
Barney Corkhill
