Arsène Wenger has branded Uefa's decision to charge Eduardo with diving a "complete disgrace" and accused it of staging a "witch-hunt".

European football's governing body has opened disciplinary proceedings against the Croatia international for "deceiving the referee" in Wednesday's 3-1 victory over Celtic, after he won a dubious penalty when close to the goalkeeper Artur Boruc.

The referee Manuel Mejuto Gonzalez awarded a penalty but replays appeared to show no contact. Eduardo scored from the spot, but has subsequently faced condemnation from several quarters.

"I find it a complete disgrace and unacceptable," said Wenger. "We won't accept the way we have been treated in this case for two reasons. I believe that you can debate whether it was a penalty or not. For me it's a witch-hunt that we see and not an objective judgment of a case.

"This charge implies there was intent and a desire to cheat the referee. Having watched the pictures again there was nothing conclusive. It singles out a player in Europe to be a cheat and that is not acceptable. Uefa has taken action that is not defendable."

Eduardo could now miss Arsenal's opening two games of the Champions League group stage. But Wenger sympathised with the Croatia forward for taking evasive action in light of the career-threatening broken leg he sustained two seasons ago.

"We will defend our player as far as we can because he is not being treated fairly," he said. "It's funny in football because you can break the legs of players and it doesn't make a debate for anybody. But this case has been all over the world and Eduardo has been treated like he's killed someone.

"I'm quite happy that this penalty would have had no outcome on the game. Eduardo has been touched by the goalkeeper and we can prove that. I'm the first to say that it doesn't look like a penalty but it's another thing to say that he went down with intent. I wish good luck in proving that having seen the pictures again.

"Having seen his leg after that tackle [against Birmingham in 2008] I don't blame him for getting out of the way of the goalkeeper."