Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou is in support of the club’s appeal against the length of the Football Association’s ban on Uruguayan midfielder Rodrigo Bentacur, Afrosport reports.
The Australian says Bentacur made a “mistake”, adding that the 27-year-old is a “person of utmost character” following his derogatory remarks against teammate and club captain Heung-Min Son.
Bentacur was handed a seven-game ban by the FA earlier this week for comments he made on a Uruguayan TV station in June, and Spurs announced on Wednesday that they were appealing against the length of the ban.
Postecoglou, in a sit-down with Sky Sports on Thursday, says he accepts the FA’s sanction on Bentacur, but he also fully supports the club’s decision to appeal the “severity of the ban.”.
“I fully support the club’s decision to appeal the severity of the ban,” Postecoglou said.
“I spoke to him in the lead-up [to the FA’s decision] and as I said he understands he’s made a mistake and he’s prepared to accept whatever penalty comes his way.
“We as a club are going to support him because the one thing that’s undeniable to me – because I know him – is that he’s an outstanding person, an unbelievable team-mate and a person of the utmost character that’s made a mistake.”
Bentancur, who denied the FA’s charge, was also fined £100,000 and ordered to undergo a face-to-face education programme.
The sanction means the Uruguay international will miss Premier League matches against Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea among others, as well as a EFL Cup quarter-final clash against Manchester United.
The former Juventus midfielder, however, is available for selection in the Europa League.
