Rodri, the Manchester City midfielder, has been charged by the Football Association due to comments made after the club’s 2-2 draw against Tottenham earlier this month.
The encounter in North London left Pep Guardiola’s team frustrated, having held a 2-0 lead at halftime against Thomas Frank’s side, only to come away with just one point.
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Goals from Rayan Cherki and Antoine Semenyo provided City with a solid advantage at the break, but Dominic Solanke’s two second-half goals saw the visitors squander vital points in the race for the Premier League title.
The nature of the draw added to Manchester City’s frustration, particularly as Solanke’s first goal appeared to result from a clear foul on Marc Guehi, which led to the striker’s goal after the ball deflected off the England international past Gianluigi Donnarumma.
A review determined that the goal was credited directly to Solanke, yet Guardiola and his players were convinced that Guehi had been fouled in the lead-up.
After the match, Rodri commented to Premier League broadcasters, “I generally don’t speak about referees out of respect for their role… But it’s been two or three consecutive matches where I’m not sure what’s happening. I understand that we’ve had a lot of success, which might lead to some bias against us, but referees need to remain neutral. It just isn’t fair.”
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He added, “We went into the Tottenham game expecting to win, but instead, it felt like we’ve moved further away from our goal. Despite that, we won’t give up; we’ll continue fighting to the end because that’s our identity. However, we need fairness.”
“It’s not just one incident; everyone makes mistakes, and that’s okay. But when it’s repeated across multiple matches, that’s unacceptable! I’m not saying the referees are poor; they’re actually quite good!”
“But we have to focus on the details; we work hard, and it’s the little things that can alter the outcome of a game. Today, unfortunately, that was the case. No, I haven’t spoken to referee Rob Jones; it’s impossible to do so. In previous years, that wasn’t my responsibility, but as captain now, I want to express that we feel a bit aggrieved by this.”
On Friday afternoon, the Football Association released a statement saying, “Rodri of Manchester City has been charged with misconduct related to comments made following their Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, February 1, 2026.”
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The statement continued, “It is alleged that he acted improperly during a post-match interview by making comments that suggest bias and/or question the integrity of a match official, contrary to FA Rule 3.1.”
“Rodri has until Wednesday, February 18, to respond.”
At this point, it remains uncertain what Rodri’s response will be. However, any potential sanctions for breaching FA Rule 3.1 could include fines, warnings, or suspensions, depending on the severity of the case.
Pep Guardiola’s squad is currently facing a busy schedule across all competitions and will certainly rely on Rodri to uphold the club’s standards as they compete for major trophies.
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After impressive wins against Liverpool and Fulham, City’s next challenge is against Salford in the FA Cup fourth round, followed by a Premier League match against Newcastle United and a visit to Leeds United’s Elland Road the subsequent weekend.