Tottenham Hotspur have had their consistency issues towards the beginning of the 2024/25 season and will be eager to get on a winning run after the November international break. Right before their return to action, the London side received a major setback for Rodrigo Bentancur.
Tottenham Hotspur Midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur Banned And Suspended For Racist Act
Why Did Bentancur Get Suspended?
The Football Association (FA) have confirmed that Rodrigo Bentancur has been delivered a seven-match ban and will also have to pay a £100,000 fine for his racial abuse actions earlier this year. In June 2024, Bentancur hinted in an interview that all South Korean people ‘look the same’ when speaking about Spurs teammate Son Heung-min. Despite having apologized for the incident and Son sticking up for him, he could not avoid the ban.
Read More: Tottenham Defender Vows To Fight For His Future
In their official statement on this matter, the FA indicated: “An independent Regulatory Commission has imposed a seven-match suspension and £100,000 fine on Rodrigo Bentancur for a breach of FA Rule E3 in relation to a media interview.
“It was alleged that the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder breached FA Rule E3.1 as he acted in an improper manner and/or used abusive and/or insulting words and/or brought the game into disrepute. It was further alleged that this constitutes an ‘aggravated breach’, which is defined in FA Rule E3.2, as it included a reference – whether express or implied – to nationality and/or race and/or ethnic origin. Rodrigo Bentancur denied this charge, but the independent Regulatory Commission found it to be proven and imposed his sanctions following a hearing.”
Which Games Will Bentancur Miss And Which Ones Can He Play?
The seven-match ban means that Bentancur will not be able to play in any of Tottenham’s Premier League matches before Christmas. He will miss key league games against the likes of Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool during this period as well as their upcoming Carabao Cup quarter-final against Manchester United on December 19.
Read More: Spurs ‘Star’ Slammed for Lacking ‘Killer Mentality’
However, Bentancur’s ban does not include any of the Lilywhites’ European matches. That means he will be able to play in their upcoming UEFA Europa League matches against AS Roma and Rangers even while he’s banned from domestic competitions. The 27-year-old, who was praised as “such a positive” player last year, has made 15 appearances in all competitions for Tottenham this season, in which he’s scored one goal and provided an assist.
