Tottenham Hotspur's Rodrigo Bentancur could be facing a lengthy ban as the midfielder has been charged by the Football Association for using a racial slur about teammate Son Heung-min.
Bentancur issued an apology in June after he appeared to suggest that all South Korean people "look the same" in an interview with a Uruguayan TV station.
Asked by a presenter, prior to Uruguay's Copa America campaign, if he could obtain a shirt from Son, whom the journalist referred to as "the Korean one", Bentancur replied: "Sonny's? It could be Sonny's cousin too as they all look the same."
Bentancur's ill-judged comments understandably drew widespread criticism online and the 27-year-old has since been handed an FA charge.
A statement from the FA said: "Rodrigo Bentancur has been charged with an alleged breach of FA Rule E3 for misconduct in relation to a media interview.
"It's alleged that the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder has breached FA Rule E3.1 as he acted in an improper manner and/or used abusive and/or insulting words and/or brought the game into disrepute.
© Imago
Bentancur cleared to face Arsenal, but ban could follow
"It's further alleged that this constitutes an "aggravated breach" which is defined in FA Rule E3.2, as it included a reference, whether express or implied, to nationality and/or race and/or ethnic origin."
According to talkSPORT, all 'aggravated breaches' that are a first offence bring a recommended match-based sanction of six to 12 matches.
Bentancur, who has until Thursday, September 19 to respond to his FA charge, will then have the opportunity to accept or deny any other punishments received.
The FA's decision to charge Bentancur comes just a few days before Tottenham travel to the Emirates Stadium for the North London derby against Arsenal in the Premier League, but the midfielder has been cleared to play in this fixture.
Bentancur and Son have been teammates at Tottenham since the former moved to North London in January 2022 after a four-and-half year spell in Italy with Juventus.