Manchester City midfielder Rodri has been charged with misconduct by the Football Association after making remarks about referees following his team’s 2-2 draw with Tottenham earlier this month.
The 29-year-old expressed his frustration over a goal awarded to Dominic Solanke, which he felt should have been disallowed due to an apparent foul on Manchester City defender Marc Guehi.
Although the FA did not disclose the specific comments that led to the charge, Rodri stated that referee Robert Jones was not “neutral” during the match. He criticized the officiating after the game, saying, “I know we’ve won a lot and people don’t want us to succeed, but the referee has to remain impartial.” He added, “It’s not fair because we work so hard. When the game ends, you feel frustrated.”
Rodri has been accused of behaving in an “improper manner” by suggesting bias and questioning the integrity of a match official.
He has until February 18 to respond to the charge.
In his post-match remarks, Rodri also claimed that City has consistently faced poor officiating this season, as they currently sit second in the Premier League, four points behind Arsenal. He remarked, “It’s one game after another—it simply cannot happen.” He continued, “Honestly, I normally don’t talk about referees, and I have great respect for their work. But they need to pay attention to these incidents. He (Solanke) clearly kicked the leg… This has happened two or three times in a row, and I don’t understand why.”