Pep Guardiola responds to FA charge issued to Rodri over referee comments | OneFootball

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has responded to the FA’s charge issued to Rodri following comments the midfielder made towards match officials.

The Premier League title chasers found themselves under scrutiny after post-match remarks from Rodri drew the attention of the Football Association, prompting a formal charge earlier this month.

The situation has added an off-field talking point to what has otherwise been a positive run of results for Guardiola’s side in domestic competitions, narrowing the gap between themselves and Arsenal at the top of the division to just four points.

Rodri’s comments came in the aftermath of a dramatic 2-2 draw away at Tottenham, with the midfielder expressing visible frustration at refereeing decisions, and particularly a visible foul on Marc Guehi being ignored to enable Dominic Solanke’s first of two goals to stand.

Attending to media duties in North London earlier this month, Rodri said, “I know we won too much and the people don’t want us to win, but the referee has to be neutral. It’s not fair because we work so hard.”

He continued, “But when it’s one, two, three, four [games] in a row, it’s not possible! I’m not saying the level of refereeing here is bad, it’s great… but we need to be fair.”

And on the incident itself, Rodri admitted, “We are frustrated because it’s so clear the foul, he kicked the leg… Today, unfortunately, [these small details] did make the difference.”

Now, speaking to reporters after Manchester City’s routine 2-0 win in the FA Cup fourth round, Pep Guardiola was handed a first opportunity to speak out on the Football Association’s decision to charge Rodri following his comments.

“No idea,” Guardiola admitted when asked what stance the club will take in response to action from the FA.

He continued, “Absolutely we’ll respect the decision of- which department punished Rodri? The FA. We will accept the decision of the FA.

“We accept everything, what the big hierarchies decide what we have to behave and what we have to do.”

The FA allege that Rodri’s comments questioned the neutrality and integrity of match officials, and the midfielder now faces a formal process that could result in disciplinary action depending on the outcome of a review.

Rodri has been given a deadline to respond to the charge, with potential sanctions ranging from a fine to a suspension. For now, City continue to focus on their packed schedule, while Pep Guardiola maintains his emphasis on keeping attention firmly on matters on the pitch.