Rodri Faces FA Misconduct Charge Over Referee Comments

omidbasir- Manchester City midfielder Rodri has received a misconduct charge from the Football Association (FA) due to comments he made regarding referee Robert Jones after the recent 2-2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur.

In a post-match television interview, Rodri accused Jones of lacking neutrality during the match. Manchester City expressed their frustration after replays indicated that Dominic Solanke had made contact with the back of Marc Guéhi’s leg while scoring, contributing to Tottenham’s comeback from a 2-0 deficit.

The FA alleges that Rodri acted improperly by making remarks that imply bias and question the integrity of a match official. He has until February 18 to present his response to the charge.

As the FA’s rule book does not outline specific sanctions for media comments, any disciplinary actions will be determined by an independent regulatory commission should Rodri be found guilty. There exists a possibility of a suspension.

Notably, former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp faced a two-match suspension in April 2023 for suggesting referee Paul Tierney had a bias against his team. The FA has not clarified which specific comments by Rodri have led to this charge.

Following the match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Rodri stated, “I know we win too much and the people don’t want us to win, but the referee has to be neutral. It’s not fair because we work so hard. When everything is finished, you are frustrated.”

He continued, “It’s one game and another game and another game, and it’s not possible. Honestly, I never speak about referees; I respect their job massively. But they need to pay attention to these things. He [Solanke] kicked the leg; it’s so clear. It’s two, three games in a row, and I don’t know why.”