Rodri’s post-match comments following Manchester City’s draw with Tottenham Hotspur could constitute a breach of The FA’s Rules and Regulations.
Speaking after Manchester City threw away a 2-0 lead to draw with Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, City midfielder Rodri was incensed by what he believed to be an incorrect refereeing decision for Spurs’ opening goal.
The 29-year-old insisted the goal came from a clear foul, before going on to rant about City’s recent treatment by referees.
“I don’t know how to feel, honestly,” Rodri told Stan Sport. “Now I see the images, on the pitch of course you cannot see, basically a foul in the first action of the goal, it’s a clear foul! And VAR is for a reason, and these small details make the difference.
“It’s one game, and another game, and another game. It’s not possible.”
“But it’s not [just] today, it’s just two, three games in a row, and I don’t know why, honestly,” Rodri added.
“I know we won too much and the people they just don’t want us to win, but the referee has to be neutral. And for me, honestly, it’s not fair.
“We need to be fair in these situations. It’s not just one, because everyone can [make] a mistake, we all have mistakes, no worries about one. But when it’s one, two, three, four in a row…it’s not possible.”
Whilst most of Rodri’s comments fall into the same bracket as the usual complaints you get from players about referees and decisions, the comments implying people “just don’t want us to win” could prove problematic for him.
By complaining that the referee “has to be neutral”, Rodri is clearly implying that he believes Sunday’s referee wasn’t neutral.
FA guidance states that they may take action in cases of “any comment which implies or appears to allege bias on the part of a match official”.
Rodri’s comments could also be considered to bring the game into disrepute, given the implication that the officials are pushing for a particular sporting outcome.
Manchester Evening News report that the FA are expected to take a dim view of Rodri’s comments and charge him with questioning the integrity of match officials.