FA fines Rodri £80,000 after the Manchester City midfielder criticised referee Robert Jones following a controversial Premier League match

The The Football Association has fined Rodri £80,000 after the Manchester City midfielder criticised referee Robert Jones following a 2–2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur last month.

Also read: CBT Centres Protest Inadequate UTME Registration Fee

The sanction relates to comments made by Rodri during a post-match interview after the 1 February clash in the Premier League, where the Spain international suggested the referee had not been “neutral”.

Rodri made the remarks after Tottenham striker Dominic Solanke scored a controversial equaliser that Manchester City players believed should have been disallowed.

City players argued that Dominic Solanke had kicked through the leg of defender Marc Guehi during the build-up to the goal. However, the referee allowed the strike to stand.

Speaking after the match, Rodri expressed frustration over the decision and suggested that officials were not impartial.

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

Following the interview, the Football Association charged Rodri with acting in an improper manner during a media appearance, stating that the remarks implied bias and questioned the integrity of match officials.

Rodri admitted the charge and acknowledged that his comments fell below the expected professional standard.

In written submissions to the disciplinary panel, Rodri clarified that he did not intend to question the integrity of the referee and stressed his respect for officials who operate under intense pressure.

Rodri said the comments were made in a moment of frustration after a disappointing result and later accepted that the words used were poorly chosen and open to misinterpretation.

An independent regulatory commission concluded that a sporting suspension was not warranted.

The panel instead ruled unanimously that a financial penalty of £80,000 was an appropriate sanction.

Also read: CBT Centres Protest Inadequate UTME Registration Fee

The decision means Rodri will remain available for selection for Manchester City while serving the disciplinary penalty.