Rodri learns punishment after Manchester City star following Tottenham draw

Manchester City midfielder Rodri has been fined and warned after making comments critical of the officiating in his side’s draw with Tottenham on February 1.

The Spain international was charged by the Football Association on February 13 after saying referees ‘have to be neutral’ following the 2-2 draw at the Etihad Stadium.

Rodri subsequently admitted the charge and an independent commission fined him £80,000 and warned him as to his future conduct.

The written reasons issued alongside the decision revealed the commission was unanimous in the view that a sporting sanction, such as a playing ban, should not be imposed, and nor did the FA seek such a sanction in its submission.

Rodri told Australian broadcaster Stan Sport: ‘I know we won too much and the people don’t want us to win but the referee has to be neutral and for me honestly, it’s not fair.

‘It’s not fair because we work so hard in these situations and now to make these decisions, we have to move on.

‘Of course you need to come back but at the end, when everything is finished, we are frustrated because it’s so clear, the foul.’

City boss Pep Guardiola, meanwhile, is also in hot water and is is facing a two-game touchline ban after being booked for the sixth time this season as Manchester City eased past Newcastle into the FA Cup quarter-finals on Saturday.

The Spaniard confronted fourth official Lewis Smith on the touchline at St James’ Park after Kieran Trippier had felled Jeremy Doku, prompting referee Sam Barrott to act, and will now have to sit out the Premier League fixture with West Ham and the club’s last-eight clash.

That proved the only downside for Guardiola on a night when a team featuring 10 changes from the midweek draw with Nottingham Forest won 3-1 at a canter.

The City boss said: ‘I will tell you something – we have all the records in this country, all of them, despite everything.

‘We have the record of the manager with the most yellow cards. I want all records and now I have it.

‘Two-game ban now and I will go on holidays the next two games. There are things after 10 years I cannot understand.

‘Review the action. Of course I’m going to defend Doku and all my teams.’