Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur was handed a seven-game suspension and a £100,000 fine by the English Football Association (FA) for using abusive language and bringing the game into disrepute during a Spanish-language interview on Uruguayan television in June.
The ban applies only to English club football and not European competitions, meaning they can still compete against Roma and Rangers in the Europa League. He will miss the Premier League matches against Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool, as well as the Carabao Cup quarter-final against Manchester United.
The FA's accusation arose from a clip posted on social media after Bentancur was interviewed on the Uruguayan Television program “Por La Camiseta.” Presenter Rafa Cotelo asked Bentancur for a Spurs player's jersey, to which he responded: “Sonny's?” [Son Heung-Min]He adds, “He could also be Sonny's cousin, since they all look the same.”
He denied the FA's initial allegation, according to the statement issued on Monday, and may appeal the ruling.
The FA said: “It was further alleged that this constitutes an 'aggravated breach'… as it included a reference, whether express or implied, to nationality and/or race and/or ethnic origin.”
At a press conference during the current international break, Bentancur told reporters that he was prepared for the punishment. As part of the decision, you must also attend in-person educational sessions that must end in March 2025.
The Uruguayan international apologized on June 20 in a post on Instagram for the comment that he described as a “joke in very bad taste.” Five days later, Tottenham captain Son said he had accepted his teammate's apology.
“He made a mistake, he knows it and he has apologized. Lolo [Bentancur] It wouldn't mean never intentionally saying something offensive. We are brothers and nothing has changed at all,” Son said in a social media post.
“We have already overcome this, we are united and we will be together again in the preseason to fight for our club as one.”
Reuters reporting contributed to this report.
