Rodri Fined £80,000 By FA Over Ref Comments

Manchester City midfielder Rodrigo Hernández Cascante has been fined £80,000 and issued a formal warning by The Football Association after comments he made about match officials during a post-match interview earlier this year.

The disciplinary decision relates to remarks made after Manchester City faced Tottenham Hotspur in a Premier League match on 1 February 2026.

In the interview, the Spanish midfielder suggested that recent refereeing decisions had been unfair and appeared to imply a lack of neutrality from officials. Among the comments highlighted by the FA were Rodri’s remarks that City had experienced questionable decisions in “two, three games in a row” and that “the referee has to be neutral… it’s not fair.”

FA Charge and Admission

The FA charged Rodri with breaching FA Rule E3.1, which requires participants to act in the best interests of the game and prohibits conduct that brings the sport into disrepute. The governing body argued that the comments went beyond criticism of individual decisions and instead implied bias or questioned the integrity of match officials.

Rodri admitted the charge in February and agreed for the case to be decided through a paper hearing rather than an in-person session before the FA’s Regulatory Commission.

In a written submission, the midfielder apologised for the remarks and acknowledged they were inappropriate.

“I would like to apologise again for the comments I made,” Rodri wrote. “Upon reflection, I recognise that the words I used were poorly chosen and capable of being interpreted in a way that I did not intend.”

He insisted he did not mean to accuse referees of bias and emphasised his respect for officials, adding that the comments were made in frustration following a disappointing result.

Commission Findings

The independent Regulatory Commission concluded that Rodri’s remarks could reasonably be interpreted as implying bias from match officials. It also noted that, as a high-profile player and one of City’s captains, he carries a greater responsibility when speaking publicly about referees.

The panel identified limited aggravating factors, including Rodri’s experience, media training, and awareness of FA guidance warning players not to question the integrity of officials.

However, several mitigating factors were also considered. These included his early admission of the charge, his apology, his cooperation with the investigation, the fact that English is not his first language, and his clean disciplinary record.

Fine Reduced After Mitigation

The Commission initially determined that a financial penalty of £120,000 would be appropriate. After applying a one-third reduction due to mitigating factors, the final sanction was reduced to £80,000.

In addition to the fine, Rodri was issued with a formal written warning. The Commission ruled that a sporting sanction, such as a suspension, was not necessary.

The decision can still be subject to appeal under FA regulations.