Rodrigo Bentancur is in serious trouble after making racist remarks to teammate Heung-Min Son. While Son has forgiven him, the English FA does not intend to stop there.
The Enzo Fernandez case has clearly not served as a lesson… another Premier League midfielder made inappropriate remarks and this one risks a suspension (Enzo Fernandez had not been worried despite the opening of an investigation, he was even given a starting role for the resumption of the championship). Last June, during an interview for the Uruguayan program «for the shirt» Spurs midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur went completely off the rails when discussing his South Korean team-mate Heung-Min Son.
The context? A journalist asked him in the middle of an interview to get the Tottenham star’s jersey, to which the Uruguayan international replied: “Son? Or any of Sonny’s cousins, they all look more or less the same!”
The former Juve player quickly apologized, acknowledging that he had made “a very bad joke”. The person concerned forgave him without any problem, reacting on social networks immediately after the incident: ” He made a mistake, he knows it and he has apologized. He would never have intentionally said anything offensive. We are brothers and nothing has changed at all. We have overcome this ordeal, we are united and we will be back together in pre-season to fight for our club as one man,” he said.
If Heung-min Son reacted rather well, this is not at all the case of the English federation. In a press release, the body explained the opening of an investigation following this statement. A statement that could cost him dearly since he risks 6 to 12 matches of suspension. According to the regulations of the English federation, Rodrigo Bentancur has until September 19 to answer for his inappropriate exit.
“Rodrigo Bentancur has been charged with a possible breach of FA Rule E3 for misconduct during a media interview,” the FA said in a statement. “It is alleged that the Tottenham midfielder breached FA Rule E3.1 because he acted inappropriately and/or used abusive and/or insulting words and/or brought the game into disrepute. It is also alleged that this constituted an aggravated breach, as defined in FA Rule E3.2, because it included a reference, express or implied, to nationality and/or race and/or ethnic origin.” specifies the FA.