What FA did after Eric Dier, Spurs fan incident offers clue for Cardiff City and Krystian Bielik | OneFootball

The FA punished Eric Dier for an incident involving a fan and it could offer clues to what the future holds for Krystian Bielik

Krystian Bielik is being investigated by the Hampshire police following an incident during Portsmouth’s 2-0 win over Cardiff City last weekend.

Comparisons to Eric Dier have been made following the midfielder’s altercation with a supporter in their Championship clash last weekend.

The Cardiff player got into an incident with a Pompey fan around the 70 minute mark after the supporter threw the ball over Bielik when he was attempting to retrieve it to take a throw-in.

Dier similarly got into trouble with fans in 2020 when he went into the stands to confront a supporter in the aftermath of an FA Cup clash at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium against Norwich City.

Eric Dier’s incident with a fan

Action Images

Spurs were eliminated from the 2020 FA Cup at the hands of Norwich following a penalty shootout.

And in the immediate aftermath of the defeat, Dier was spotted hopping over the advertising boarding and entering the crowd to confront the fans near the dugout.

Then Spurs boss Jose Mourinho claimed that the defender went up to the fan after being insulted while his brother was in attendance.

The Portuguese condemned his player’s actions, but suggested it was a natural reaction to the situation.

"I think Eric did what we professionals cannot do but probably every one of us would do,” said Mourinho, via the BBC.

Eric Dier’s FA investigation

The Football Association opened an investigation into Dier as a result of the incident, with the decision being made that he should receive a four game suspension.

The Spurs player was also handed a fine worth £40,000, while receiving a warning from the FA regarding his future conduct.

The ban meant that Dier missed four of the last five league games of 2020/21, with the London outfit finishing seventh in the table.

Dier went on to sign for Bayern Munich in 2024, and has since moved onto Monaco, where he currently plies his trade.

The FA’s reasoning for Eric Dier punishment

The FA listed a number of reasons for coming to their conclusion that Dier had breached their rules of conduct.

They claimed that the large crowd, the length of time it took to reach the fan, that the supporter had looked to calm down the situation and that they posed no threat to his brother all played a factor in their decision.

Dier was also blamed as the cause of pushing and shoving in the stands during the incident, and that his profile as a footballer was significant enough to lead to further altercations.

Spurs released a statement following the conclusion of the FA’s investigation in which Dier accepted that his actions were improper but that he was not threatening.

Action Images

Krystian Bielik faces potential FA punishment

Bielik could find himself in a similar situation to Dier in regards to an investigation from the FA.

It remains to be seen whether the fan involved will proceed with any charges against the midfielder, which could lead to a legal case.

But he is also facing the threat of receiving a lengthy suspension from playing for Cardiff, who he signed for just this summer.

The Poland international is also likely to be handed a fine by the FA for his conduct, with the fan being caught on film appearing to be pushed in the throat during the incident in question.