Rodrigo Bentancur is expecting a heavy sanction from the FA over his alleged racist comment about South Koreans while on Uruguayan television last summer.
When appearing on the show, Bentancur was asked for a Tottenham player’s jersey and replied: “Sonny’s?” – referring to his teammate Son Heung-min.
He then added that it could also be Son’s cousin, because “they’re all kind of the same.”
The FA confirmed they charged the South American in September with an ‘aggravated breach’ of their rules. A statement began: ‘Rodrigo Bentancur has been charged with an alleged breach of FA Rule E3 for misconduct in relation to a media interview.’
Mail Sport exclusively announced on Thursday that the midfielder is likely to receive a seven-match ban, but that figure has not been confirmed.
While on international duty with his national team this week, the Tottenham midfielder revealed he had been informed by his agent that the punishment will be severe.
Rodrigo Bentancur risks a long-term ban for an alleged racist comment about South Koreans
The 27-year-old midfielder appeared on the Uruguayan television show in June 2024 (above)
The Tottenham captain has been the target of racist abuse several times while playing for the north London club
“My agent called me and told me he had been informed that this was the sanction.” The 27-year-old said. ‘So far the club has not contacted me. I already more or less knew where it was going.
‘Now that the sanction has been imposed, I want to remain calm here with the national team. Then we’ll see when it’s time to go back.’
Bentancur has played an important role for Postecoglou this season, appearing in ten of Tottenham’s eleven Premier League games so far, starting seven of them.
The only league match the Uruguayan has missed this season was Spurs’ home game against Everton in the second weekend, when Postecoglou’s side triumphed 4-0.
The former Juventus star broke his silence on the incident earlier this summer and issued a groveling apology to Son on social media, insisting the Spurs captain said it was a ‘very bad joke’.
He said, ‘Sonny brother! I apologize for what happened, it was just a really bad joke!
“You know I love you and I would never disrespect you or hurt you or anyone else! I love you brother!’
The South Korean revealed that teammate Bentancur was close to tears as he apologized for the alleged racist comments.
The South Korean revealed that teammate Bentancur was close to tears as he apologized for the alleged racist comments
“At the moment I can’t say much about it because of the FA process,” Son said in September. ‘But I love Rodrigo, I love him. We have a lot of good memories since we started playing together when he joined.
‘He knew it and apologized immediately afterwards. We were on holiday. I was home. I didn’t even realize what was going on when he sent me a long message and you could feel it coming from his heart.
‘When we came back for pre-season he felt really sorry and almost cried as he apologized both publicly and personally. He felt like he was really sorry. We are all human and we all make mistakes and we learn from them.’
‘I love Rodrigo. I love him, I love him,” the South Korean said when he first broke his silence on the incident in June.
‘He knows he made a mistake, but I have no problem with him at all. We continue as teammate and friend and as brother. We move forward together.
‘We have to wait to see what the FA say in their process. “I can’t say much, but what I can say is: I love Rodrigo, there’s nothing more to say.”
Bentancur’s comment came less than a year after a fan was given a three-year football ban for racially abusing Son.
The news comes as a blow to Ange Postecoglou, who relied on Bentancur this season but will now miss the Uruguayan for crucial upcoming games.
Robert Garland made the racist gesture towards the striker after he was substituted in the 89th minute against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on May 6, 2023.
The 44-year-old football fan pleaded guilty to racial harassment at Highbury Magistrates Court on August 25 and was sentenced later that year.
The incident in May 2023 was the third time Son had been the target of racist abuse while representing Tottenham last season.
Bentancur will miss a series of crucial games for Ange Postecoglou’s side, including Premier League matches against Manchester City and Chelsea, as well as the Carabao Cup quarter-final against Manchester United on December 19.