UEFA has delayed a ruling in a mysterious disciplinary case centered around CSKA Moscow and Finland midfielder Roman Eremenko.
The Finnish football federation pulled Eremenko out of the squad on Oct. 6, saying he had been suspended for a month ahead of a UEFA hearing but without giving any details.
That original 30-day suspension has since expired, but UEFA told The Associated Press on Monday that it has been extended to Nov. 19 and "the decision of the UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body is expected to be announced by the end of this week."
The 29-year-old Eremenko has so far missed nine games, including two for CSKA in the Champions League and three World Cup qualifiers, all of which Finland lost by one goal.
""Eremenko's problems with UEFA are not related to doping and not even to football," Russian deputy prime minister Vitaly Mutko, who also heads the national football federation, said on Sunday in comments to state news agency Tass.
"Neither the club nor the league are guilty of anything. It's a private matter for the player."
