Evening Standard
·12 September 2024
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·12 September 2024
The Uruguayan midfielder may miss up to 12 games if found guilty
Tottenham are facing the prospect of being without Rodrigo Bentancur for as many as 12 games during a pivotal period in the early months of the season.
The midfielder is at risk of a long suspension after being charged by the Football Association for suggesting South Korean team-mate Heung-min Son and his cousins “all look the same”.
The midfielder, who made the comment during an interview broadcast in his native Uruguay in June, quickly apologised for the remark, claiming it was a “very bad joke”.
Standard Sport understands, if found guilty, the 27-year-old could be banned for between six and 12 games.
If the maximum sanction is applied, Bentancur will be absent from all English football competitions, namely the Premier League and the early rounds of the Carabao Cup.
The ban would not apply to European football, meaning the player could still feature in his side’s Europa League fixtures.
If Spurs do not progress past Coventry on September 18 in the third round of the Carabao Cup, Bentancur would miss 12 league games, but if they do, he will miss 11 with the fourth round set for the week starting October 30.
The 12 Premier League games Bentancur could miss:
All games in November and December subject to TV changes.
Bentancur, if banned for 12 games, would next be available for Spurs in the Premier League when they host Liverpool at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.