Manchester City midfielder Rodri was fined 80,000 pounds ($107,000) but avoided a ban on Monday for comments he made after a Premier League game where he questioned the integrity of a referee.
After City’s 2-2 draw at Tottenham Hotspur on Feb. 1, Rodri said: “We won too much and the people, they don’t want us to win, but the referee has to be neutral. And for me, honestly, it’s not fair, it’s not fair.”
Rodri was incensed with referee Robert Jones’ decision to allow Dominic Solanke’s goal to stand.
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He felt Solanke’s goal should have been ruled out because the Tottenham striker kicked the back of City defender Marc Guehi’s leg in the act of scoring.
The Football Association said Rodri admitted at an independent hearing to a charge that he “acted in an improper manner during a post-match media interview by making comments that imply bias and/or question the integrity of a match official and/or match officials.”
As well as the fine, Rodri — who won the 2024 Ballon d’Or — was warned as to his future conduct.
In 2023, then Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was handed a touchline ban after suggesting referee Paul Tierney had “something against” his side.
With inputs from AFP
Published on Mar 09, 2026
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