MANCHESTER City ace Rodri’s potential “bias” ban may not be decided before this weekend – more than a month after he accused Prem referee of not wanting the Etihad side to win.
Rodri was formally charged by the FA on February 18 for comments he made in the aftermath of City’s 2-2 draw at Spurs.
Pep Guardiola and his side were incensed that Dominic Solanke’s first goal as Spurs came back from two down was allowed to stand as he kicked through Marc Guehi’s calf before the ball trundled into the net.
In a post-match TV interview, the Spain midfielder, 29, moaned: “I don’t know how to feel, honestly, seeing the images.
“You can’t see the images on the pitch. It’s a clear foul in the first action for the goal. It’s a clear foul.
“And VAR is for a reason and these small details make the difference.”
Rodri added: “We’re trying to do our best and it’s the first goal they score – maybe they don’t score and we win the game.
“I never speak about referees, I respect their job massively, but they have to pay attention to these things.
“He’s kicked the leg – it’s so clear. He anticipated Marc and it’s a clear foul.
“But it’s not today, it’s two or three games in a row and I honestly don’t know why.
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“I know we won too much and the people don’t want us to win, but the referee has to be neutral.”
Rodri’s words appeared a clear breach of FA regulations outlawing any comment “which implies or appears to allege bias on the part of a match official” or “questions the integrity” of refs.
Following guidelines, he was charged with misconduct for “ making comments that imply bias and/or question the integrity of a match official and/or match officials” on February 13, with his response due in by February 18.
FA regulations say a hearing should be conducted within 10 working days of that response being due, which would have been today.
But there is wriggle room in the process for exceptional circumstances while the FA has long been reluctant to impose penalties on the day before or day of games, with City in Prem action against Nottingham Forest tonight.
It had been anticipated any sanction – with a ban the most likely – would be imposed ahead of this weekend’s FA Cup fifth round ties.
But it is now possible that the outcome of the case could be delayed until next week, meaning any ban would start at City’s Prem trip to West Ham on March 14.
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