UEFA will hear Wayne Rooney's appeal against a three-match ban on Thursday, but even if he is successful the England striker can still expect to be suspended for the first two games of Euro 2012.
Rooney, who was given the ban after his dismissal for violent conduct against Montenegro, will travel to UEFA's headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, for the hearing after playing in Manchester United's Champions League match in Basle on Wednesday night.
England manager Fabio Capello will also travel to the appeal along with the Football Association's legal support team.
As things currently stand, Rooney would miss all of England's Group D games against France, Sweden and Ukraine.
However, those experienced in UEFA disciplinary matters believe the best Rooney can hope for is to have his ban reduced to two games, with perhaps the third match suspended.
The FA may argue that a three-match ban that affects games in the finals of a major tournament is a harsher sanction than a suspension of a similar length which would just affect matches in a qualifying tournament.
Miodrag Dzudovic, the Montenegro player kicked by Rooney, is also providing evidence on the England striker's behalf.
Club England director Adrian Bevington said earlier this week: "We feel we have put a very robust case together with some evidence from Wayne, Fabio Capello, from the Montenegrin player and also from the specialist external legal advice and our own internal in-house lawyers that we work with as well.
"We will be in Nyon with our own legal support team and we will present our case and see how we take it from there. The important element is to present it to UEFA and let them make their judgement from there."
The UEFA appeals panel will open the hearing at 9.30am Swiss time with a decision possibly due in the early afternoon.
Source: PA
