Tottenham appeal Rodrigo Bentancur ban: Ange Postecoglou backs midfielder and calls Uruguayan 'unbelievable team-mate'

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou has known as “excellent individual” Rodrigo Bentancur an “unbelievable team-mate” and supported Spurs’ determination to enchantment the size of his seven-match suspension for a racist comment about captain Heung-Min Son.

Bentancur has been sanctioned over feedback he made in an interview aired on Uruguayan TV in June.

The 27-year-old was additionally fined £100,000 by the Soccer Affiliation as a part of the punishment.

Spurs mentioned in an announcement that they “settle for the responsible discovering” in opposition to Bentancur, however “imagine the next sanction is extreme”.

When requested how large a blow Bentancur’s absence can be, Postecoglou mentioned throughout an unique interview with Sky Sports activities: “It is disappointing as a result of he is been nice for us this 12 months.

“He is one of many ones whose soccer has gone up a stage. However we understood this was type of coming and there was an acceptance from everybody that regardless of the type of penalties had been… I absolutely assist the membership’s determination to enchantment the severity of the ban, however finally we all know it should be for X variety of video games.

“We’ll work with Rodrigo by way of that and ensure inside that point he has all our assist in all the correct methods so when he’s out there once more he is able to go.

“I have never spoken to him because it got here out. He is been away with Uruguay and he isn’t fairly again but. I would spoken to him within the lead-up to it. As I mentioned on the time, he understands he has made a mistake, he is ready to just accept no matter penalty comes his means and we as a membership are going to assist him.

“The one factor that is simple to me, as a result of I do know him, is he is an impressive individual. He is an unbelievable team-mate. He is an individual of the upmost character that has made a mistake. I feel when that occurs our function is to assist him in any means we are able to.”

The previous Juventus midfielder was requested to point out the shirt of a Spurs participant and replied: “Sonny’s? It could possibly be Sonny’s cousin too as all of them look the identical.”

Whereas an apology from Bentancur was swiftly forthcoming, resulting from this being an “aggravated breach”, an impartial regulatory fee panel had been required to both uphold the FA cost or dismiss the case.

Son mentioned he and Bentancur remained “brothers” and “nothing had modified” after the Uruguayan instantly apologised to him, admitting he had “made a mistake”.