Tottenham Hotspur’s recent struggles have been compounded by a fresh controversy involving midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur. The 27-year-old has been handed a seven-match suspension by the Football Association (FA) for an “aggravated breach” of its rules, stemming from a racist comment made about teammate Son Heung-min.
The incident occurred during an interview with Uruguayan television in June, when Bentancur was asked to obtain a shirt from “the Korean.” The midfielder responded with “Sonny?” before adding, “Or any other champion. Or any cousin of Sonny, they all look more or less the same.”
Bentancur’s comments sparked outrage, and he subsequently apologized to Son and released a statement on social media expressing his remorse. Son accepted the apology, stating that Bentancur’s apology was heartfelt and that he believed his teammate had made a mistake.
The suspension means that Bentancur will miss a significant portion of Tottenham’s upcoming fixtures. He will be ineligible for seven domestic matches, including Premier League clashes with Manchester City, Chelsea, and Liverpool. However, he will be available for the club’s Europa League matches against Roma and Rangers.
Bentancur’s absence will be a blow to Tottenham, who have endured a poor start to the season. The team has won just one of its last five Premier League matches and currently sits ninth in the table. Manager Antonio Conte will be hoping that Bentancur’s return in mid-December will provide a much-needed boost to the team’s fortunes.
The incident has also raised questions about the prevalence of racism in football. Bentancur’s comments have been widely condemned, and the FA’s decision to impose a seven-match suspension sends a clear message that such behavior will not be tolerated.
