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Lazar Markovic needed just two of the 140 characters available to him in a tweet to sum up the reaction of every Liverpool fan to the hefty suspension handed down to him by UEFA.

The Serbian winger posted a photo of himself looking glum on the social networking site with the incredulous message: “4?”

Markovic will miss Liverpool’s Europa League last 32 tie with Besiktas and both legs of the next round if Brendan Rodgers’ side progress following his red card in December’s final Champions League group game with Basel at Anfield.

Talk about the punishment not fitting the crime. It’s a decision which once again exposes the mind-boggling inconsistencies of football’s disciplinary processes.

Markovic was harshly sent off when his outstretched hand flicked the face of Basel’s Behrang Safari.

It was the Sweden international’s theatrical reaction which conned Dutch referee Bjorn Kuipers into believing it was violent conduct.

Brendan Rodgers couldn’t hide his disgust as post-match he said: “I thought the sending off was a really disappointing decision by the referee.

“Lazar Markovic gets sent off for that - his fingernail barely touches the nose of the defender and the defender is the guy who should be looked at for his reaction.”

The UEFA disciplinary committee who reviewed the footage had the chance to use some common sense.

Liverpool and Markovic had already paid a heavy price for that soft dismissal as down to 10 men they crashed out of the Champions League at the hands of the Swiss champions.

But instead they have hit the 20-year-old with a staggering four-match ban. It would have been three they say but Markovic got an extra one because they took into account his dismissal playing for Benfica after a touchline bust-up in the Europa League semi-final against Juventus last season.

Liverpool’s decision not to appeal doesn’t mean they accept UEFA’s judgement. Far from it with Anfield officials bemused by the severity of it.

However, it simply signifies that they know trying to contest the punishment would be pointless with the governing body judge, jury and executioner.

Markovic will have to accept his medicine - despite the burning sense of injustice.

It’s double the ban handed out by UEFA to England’s Wayne Rooney when he blatantly booted Montenegro’s Miodrag Dzudovic. And it’s equal to what the FA gave John Terry for racially abusing Anton Ferdinand.

Four games for touching an opponent’s nose? UEFA claim they are simply adhering to the letter of the law but if that’s the case then the law is an ass.