Rodri was charged following his post-match comments after Manchester City's 2-2 draw at Tottenham in February. The FA confirmed the fine and a warning about his future conduct, but did not impose a suspension. Rodri admitted the charge, which related to remarks that suggested refereeing bias.
In his defense, Rodri submitted written evidence to explain his comments, while Manchester City provided evidence citing three previous similar cases involving Frank Lampard, Marco Silva, and Chris Wilder to argue against a ban. The club's strategy succeeded in avoiding a suspension for the Spanish international.
I know we won too much and the people don’t want us to win, but the referee has to be neutral.
According to The Guardian - Football, Rodri described the frustration of repeated incorrect decisions, saying it was unfair because players work hard and decisions affect results. In his official statement, Rodri clarified that he did not accuse referees of bias but meant that referee mistakes had occurred without explanation. He also urged FIFA and UEFA to reduce the number of matches, warning that players' careers would otherwise be shortened.
Rodri's comments came after a contentious match where he felt decisions went against his team. The FA's decision to fine rather than ban reflects a balance between punishing misconduct and acknowledging the pressures on players. The warning about future conduct serves as a deterrent for similar incidents.
It’s not fair because we work so hard. When everything is finished, you are frustrated. It’s one game and another game and another game – and it’s not possible. Honestly, I never speak about referees, I respect their job massively. But they have to pay attention to these things. He kicked the leg, it’s so clear. It’s two, three games in a row and I don’t know why.
Manchester City's successful argument relied on precedent cases where managers received fines but no bans for similar comments. This outcome may influence how future cases are handled, as clubs increasingly cite past rulings to protect their players.
Rodri's broader concerns about player workload highlight a growing issue in football. With congested schedules, players face increased injury risks. His call for fewer matches resonates with many professionals who argue that the current calendar is unsustainable.
This is what I meant by, 'but it’s not today, it’s two, three games in a row. And I don’t know why honestly': we have experienced other occasions in our matches where I believe decisions have been incorrect. The bad foul by Diogo Dalot on [Jérémy] Doku at Manchester United [17 January] which should have been a red card, and [Antoine] Semenyo’s disallowed goal at Newcastle in the Carabao Cup [13 January]. I don’t have an explanation as to why the mistakes have happened.
'We won too much and the people, they don’t want us to win, but the referee has to be neutral': supporters of other clubs who have witnessed our success will not want to see that continue. That thought process doesn’t apply to referees, who are professionally neutral in their roles. I did not say that referees are not neutral (as the media articles you have sent to me wrongly suggest). I meant that this can be ruled out as an explanation as to why referee mistakes have happened recently.
'And for me, honestly, it’s not fair, it’s not fair': it doesn’t feel fair when the result is influenced by an incorrect decision rather than just the performance of the team.