Chelsea striker Didier Drogba was handed a two-game European suspension by UEFA on Tuesday for being sent off in the Champions League loss to Inter Milan this month.
However, Drogba escaped a further two-game ban as UEFA declined to activate a suspended sentence it imposed last year.
Instead, UEFA extended Drogba's period of probation by two years until July 2013. He was given an initial two-year probation - on top of a three-match ban - after his aggressive behavior toward the referee last season when Chelsea was eliminated by Barcelona in the Champions League semifinals.
"The suspension applies to the next two UEFA club competition matches for which Drogba would be eligible," the European football authority said in a statement.
Drogba is set to miss the first two Champions League group-stage matches next season as Chelsea is almost certain to qualify directly by finishing in the top three in the English Premier League. He would carry the suspension with him if he moved to another European club in the offseason.
Drogba was banned for the first three group matches this season after his finger-wagging rant at Norwegian referee Tom Henning Ovrebo after the final whistle of Chelsea's ousting by Barcelona.
His suspended sanction would have been enforced for a further offense of abusing match officials.
Drogba was shown the red card against Inter for stamping on midfielder Thiago Motta's foot in the closing minutes of a round-of-16, second-leg match at Stamford Bridge on March 16. Inter advanced 3-1 on aggregate.
He has three days to appeal.
