November 14 – Tottenham Hotspur are set to be without Uruguayan midfielder Rodrigo Betancur for seven games with the club expecting the midfielder to be slapped with a hefty ban for suggesting South Korean team-mate Heung-min Son and his cousins “all look the same”.
Bentancur, 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”. But he was later charged by the English FA and five months after the offence is set to be banned.
Bentancur will not be available for Spurs until Boxing Day on December 26 but remains available for Europa League matches.
Bentancur apologised to Son privately shortly after the interview was broadcast. The apology was accepted but the FA charged him with using abusive language and acting in a manner which brought the game into disrepute, adding that it was an aggravated breach as it allegedly involved references to nationality, race or ethnic origin.
Tottenham’s next six Premier League games are against Manchester City, Fulham, Bournemouth, Chelsea, Southampton and Liverpool, while they also have a Carabao Cup quarter-final against Manchester United next month.
A lengthy ban would be a huge blow for manager Ange Postecoglou as Bentancur has played in 10 of Tottenham’s 11 Premier League games so far this season.
Ironically Bentancur’s relationship with his club captain has seemingly not been damaged as a result of the interview, with Son revealing in September that his teammate “almost cried” when apologising to him. “I love Rodrigo,” Son was reported as saying.
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