Manchester City midfielder Rodri has been handed an £80,000 fine by the Football Association (FA) following comments he made about a referee after a recent Premier League match. The disciplinary action stems from remarks Rodri made after City’s 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur on 1 February, in which he questioned the neutrality of match official Robert Jones.

Rodri voiced his frustration during a post-match interview after Tottenham striker Dominic Solanke scored a controversial goal that City players felt should have been disallowed. He suggested that Solanke had made contact with City defender Marc Guehi in the build-up, but the goal was allowed to stand.

“I know we won too much and people don’t want us to win, but the referee has to be neutral,” Rodri said at the time. “It’s not fair because we work so hard. When everything is finished, you are frustrated.”

The FA subsequently charged the Spain international with acting in an improper manner, stating that his remarks implied bias and called into question the integrity of match officials. Rodri admitted the charge and accepted that his comments fell short of the standards expected by the governing body.

An independent regulatory commission reviewed the case and determined that the threshold for a playing suspension had not been met, meaning Rodri will not miss any upcoming matches. Instead, the commission unanimously decided that a financial penalty was the appropriate course of action.

As part of the disciplinary process, Rodri submitted two letters clarifying his remarks. In the first, he noted that his comments had been misinterpreted by some media outlets. In the second, he acknowledged that his words were inappropriate and reflected a moment of frustration following a disappointing result.

“I wish to make clear that I did not intend to imply bias or question the integrity of the match officials,” Rodri wrote. “I have always had, and continue to have, great respect for referees and the difficult job they undertake in a fast-moving and highly pressured environment. My comments were made in a moment of frustration after a disappointing result. Upon reflection, I recognise that the words I used were poorly chosen and capable of being interpreted in a way that I did not intend.”

The FA’s regulatory commission concluded that a fine of £80,000 was an appropriate sanction, balancing the need to uphold the integrity of officiating while acknowledging that Rodri’s conduct did not warrant a suspension from playing.