Manchester City midfielder Rodri has been fined £80,000 by a Football Association regulatory commission but escaped a suspension for comments made after his team's 2-2 draw with Tottenham in February. The Spaniard criticised referee Robert Jones for allowing Dominic Solanke's goal, which he believed should have been disallowed for a foul.
After the match, Rodri said: 'I know we won too much and the people don't want us to win, but the referee has to be neutral.' He also claimed it was 'not fair' and referenced 'two, three games in a row' of questionable decisions. The FA charged him with implying bias and questioning the integrity of a match official, which he admitted.
In written evidence, Rodri clarified his remarks, stating he did not intend to suggest referees were biased but rather that recent mistakes had affected results. He cited three previous incorrect decisions involving Manchester City to support his frustration.
Manchester City presented three similar cases—Frank Lampard, Marco Silva, and Chris Wilder—where managers were fined but not suspended for criticising officials. The commission accepted this precedent, fining Rodri £80,000 and warning him about future conduct.
