Postecoglou Defends Tottenham’s Appeal Against Bentancur Ban

November 23, (THEWILL) – Tottenham Hotspur manager, Ange Postecoglou, has defended the club’s decision to appeal against Rodrigo Bentancur’s seven-match suspension, following his controversial remarks about teammate, Son Heung-min, during a television interview in Uruguay.

The England Football Association handed Bentancur a substantial ban, comprising six EPL fixtures and one League Cup quarter-final match against Manchester United, after the midfielder made inappropriate comments regarding Son’s ethnicity. During the June interview, when asked about obtaining a Spurs player’s shirt, Bentancur made a stereotypical remark about Asian appearances.

South Korean national team captain Son addressed the situation through social media, confirming he had accepted Bentancur’s apology and emphasising their continued strong relationship. However, the FA determined the incident constituted an aggravated breach of its regulations, leading to a significant suspension.

“I have said all along, he has made a mistake, we have accepted that he has made a mistake,” Postecoglou stated during a press conference. “We believe the first one (ban) was harsh and we have appealed that, which I think is our right. That is the whole process.” The Tottenham manager further emphasised the importance of education over condemnation, drawing from his personal experiences.

The timing of Bentancur’s suspension creates additional difficulties for Tottenham ahead of their League fixture against Manchester City. The squad faces multiple absences, with injuries sidelining centre-backs Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, plus forwards Timo Werner and Richarlison.