The Telegraph

Rodrigo Bentancur, the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder, has been banned for seven matches by the Football Association over a racist remark he made about Son Heung-min.

Bentancur, who has also been fined £100,000, had suggested in a YouTube interview in Uruguay that his Spurs team-mate was indistinguishable in looks from other South Koreans.

Following charges in September a panel found that he had shown “genuine remorse” but he should have “foreseen substantial publicity” in making the abusive joke.

Bentancur was being interviewed during a tour of his home when Uruguayan journalist Rafa Cotelo asked: “Well, what about the Korean’s shirt?”

After questioning whether the journalist was asking about “Sonny”, Bentancur then added: “Or one of Sonny’s cousins as they all look more or less the same.”

Sir Gary Hickinbottom, who led an independent regulatory commission panel, acknowledged Bentancur’s subsequent direct apologies and statements on social media after the interview clip was published. However, Hickinbottom said it remained a straightforward case to impose a seven-match suspension plus £100,000 fine on Bentancur for a breach of FA Rule E3 – acting in “an improper manner and/or used abusive and/or insulting words and/or brought the game into disrepute”.

It was further found proven that his comments constituted an “aggravated breach”, as they included a reference to nationality and/or race and/or ethnic origin.

Bentancur was also instructed to attend an educational course and the panel chair added: “We consider that sanction, when looked at as a whole, is in all the circumstances reasonable and proportionate to the breach we have found proved.”

The ban for Bentancur is likely to prompt scrutiny of the regulations as the FA was powerless to bring sanctions against Enzo Fernandez after the Chelsea midfielder was accused of singing a racist and transphobic chant following Argentina’s Copa America triumph.

Tottenham’s midfielder had been facing a potential 12-game ban, but Fernandez escaped any FA punishment because the alleged breach took place while he was on international duty.

Bentancur was charged by the FA on Sept 12 over the interview with Cotelo, the host of Canal 10. After footage became public, he expressed immediate remorse.

Son, meanwhile, acknowledged his team-mate “made a mistake”. “He knows this and has apologised,” Son said. “Lolo would not mean to ever intentionally say something offensive. We are brothers and nothing has changed at all.”

He later added: “When we came back for pre-season, he [Bentancur] felt sorry and he almost cried when he apologised publicly and personally as well. He felt like he was really sorry. We are all human and all make mistakes and we learn from it.”

Tottenham had also added that the club have “been providing assistance in ensuring a positive outcome on this matter”.

“This will include further education for all players in line with our diversity, equality and inclusion objectives,” the club said. “We fully support that our captain Sonny feels that he can draw a line under the incident and that the team can focus on the new season ahead. We are extremely proud of our diverse, global franchise and playing squads.”

However, the independent regulatory commission panel upheld the charge and Bentancur will sit out Tottenham’s next seven domestic fixtures, but will be able to feature for the club in forthcoming Europa League matches against Roma and Rangers.

An FA spokesperson said: “An independent regulatory commission has imposed a seven-match suspension and £100,000 fine on Rodrigo Bentancur for a breach of FA Rule E3 in relation to a media interview. It was alleged that the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder 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.

“It was 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. Rodrigo Bentancur denied this charge, but the independent regulatory commission found it to be proven and imposed his sanctions following a hearing.”

Analysis: Why did Enzo Fernandez and Rodri escape bans?

After a summer of discrimination cases against the likes of Fernandez and Rodri, only Bentancur faces an FA ban – because of timing.

The FA had been powerless to go after either the Chelsea or Manchester City midfielder because their cases took place while on international duty.

The Bentancur interview emerged within weeks of those other cases but, as it took place officially “on his own time”, the FA was able to pursue a case against him as “a participant in English football”.

Fifa, instead, launched investigations after France complained over a video of Fernandez allegedly singing a racist and transphobic chant following Argentina’s Copa America triumph. First sung by Argentina fans during the 2022 World Cup, the chant claims that France’s players are “all from Angola” and making crude insults and wild accusations about Kylian Mbappe’s sexuality.

Rodri and Alvaro Morata, meanwhile, were each banned for one Spain match by Uefa for chanting “Gibraltar is Spanish” during celebrations in Madrid for the victory against England in the Euro 2024 final.

After a turbulent start to the season, Arsenal are back on the ascent. A dominant display against their local rivals at the imposing Tottenham Hotspur Stadium saw the visitors brimming with confidence against a lacklustre home side.

Speaking after the match, Renée Slegers, Arsenal’s interim manager, praised her team’s cutting-edge performance. “[Ruthless] is exactly one of the words we are using a lot at the club at the moment,” she said.

“We want to be ruthless in both boxes. It’s easy to say it but then turning it into action is another thing.”

Slegers and her team have managed to rejuvenate Arsenal’s attack in just a month and their display against Tottenham was undoubtedly ruthless.

They are unbeaten since she took charge after former manager Jonas Eidevall’s exit, and have handed Tottenham, Juventus, and Brighton heavy defeats in their last three fixtures without conceding a single goal.

Arsenal were 1-0 up within 63 seconds, when Mariona Caldentey powered in a cross which took a heavy deflection off Hayley Raso and fell into the path of Alessia Russo. She made no mistake with her shot, to which Tottenham goalkeeper Becky Spencer was unable to get a hand.

What should have been a wake-up call for the home side was anything but. For the majority of the first 45 minutes, they were stuck in their own half, sitting back, yet simultaneously leaving themselves far too open to Arsenal’s relentless pressing.

The visitors doubled their lead in the 22nd minute after Leah Williamson was left unmarked and with plenty of space just outside the box. She sent the ball forward to Frida Maanum who volleyed it past an infuriated Spencer and into the bottom-left corner.

The second goal finally injected some life into Tottenham’s attack and they worked themselves out of their own half and created a couple of good chances.

Bethany England came closest in the 34th minute with a shot from just outside the box. It clipped the crossbar and led to a corner which ultimately came to nothing for the hosts – much to the joy of the animated section of away fans just behind the goal.

The Tottenham captain gestured wildly and shouted to her team in the aftermath, making her frustrations known after a disappointing 45 minutes.

The second half followed much of the same pattern, with Arsenal looking dangerous every time they went forward and Tottenham struggling to cause visiting goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar any real problems.

It wasn’t quite as easy for Arsenal in the opening stages as Tottenham maintained a more rigid back line. However, the gulf in attacking quality between the two sides was demonstrated by the introduction of Arsenal’s firepower duo of Beth Mead and Stina Blackstenius.

The latter almost added a third goal to the visitors’ tally just moments after joining the game, and then made no mistake the second time she had a chance with a decisive strike from close range.

Slegers has overseen a complete revitalisation to her side’s attacking prowess although she would not be drawn into suggestions of her name being in the hat for the permanent role.

“The block has gone really well so far,” she said. “We have one more game ahead of us, and we’re going to do everything to get a good performance again in that last game and that’s when we start breathing. But for the moment we just have to stay focused because we’ve got a lot of hard work to do.”

At the start of the season, Arsenal lacked edge and many were questioning whether they were really capable of keeping up with fellow title challengers Manchester City and Chelsea.

But now, with their last loss being Eidevall’s final game just over a month ago, Arsenal have reasserted themselves as a force to be reckoned with. It would be surprising if Slegers were not emerging as a serious contender for the top job.

That could still change this season, with Tottenham, despite their defeat by Galatasaray, looking good in the Europa League and still in the Carabao Cup – what used to be the old Carling Cup – after knocking out Manchester City.

One can only assume that a Carabao Cup success would not be enough to break into Levy’s top three. A Europa League might be, given it earns qualification to the Champions League, but winning has not appeared to be the be-all and end-all at Tottenham for well over 20 years now.

It should be a source of profound embarrassment to Levy that for all the excellent players he has employed – Harry Kane and Gareth Bale were the two he picked out – Tottenham have not won more than a solitary League Cup under his watch.

Which brings us nicely to watches of the timepiece variety and the revelation by Hugo Lloris that the Tottenham squad who reached the final of the 2018/19 Champions League, of which Son was a member, were given watches with the word “finalist” engraved into the back of them.

That was the moment Lloris claims in his autobiography to have known that Levy and Tottenham were not in it for the winning, and after a defeat by Ipswich Town, fans are once again playing the club’s favourite game of “whose fault is it anyway?”

Postecoglou defended Tottenham over the Lloris comments, claiming that the “broader view” was that it “could have been a very successful period for the club”.

Maybe it would have been if the club had not become the first in history not to sign a single player in the summer before Tottenham’s Champions League final appearance. Or if Levy had backed Mauricio Pochettino, rather than sacking him just six months after it.

Postecoglou accepted responsibility for Tottenham’s inconsistency after the Ipswich defeat and it was the head coach who appeared to be on the end of some choice words from an angry fan as he headed down the tunnel.

No trophy for top-four finish

Asked at the same fans’ forum about how he handles criticism, Levy claimed: “I have a very thick skin and I just ignore it. (It) makes me want to be more successful.”

He was not asked how he would define “successful”. It would be interesting to hear if Levy’s interpretation of the word is different to that of Postecoglou, who recently responded to the suggestion “some people” see a top-four finish as being as good as a trophy with: “But there isn’t a trophy.”

Maybe somebody needs to tell Levy that his world-class stadium is not a trophy, just as the striking mural of Harry Kane on the way into it from White Hart Lane train station is not, either. And, apart from the watches he handed out, there is no silverware for reaching a final.

Much has been made – largely by himself – of Postecoglou’s record of winning trophies in his second seasons at clubs, but is he going to be another manager who finds that Tottenham is the exception to the rule? Jose Mourinho won trophies before and after his Tottenham experience, while Antonio Conte is top of the Serie A table with Napoli, the first club he has worked at since leaving Levy behind.

Supporters have an entire international break in which to go back and forth over the familiar Tottenham blame game. But the fact remains there has only been one constant during the 20-plus years in which Tottenham have managed to win a single trophy that does not even figure in the chairman’s top three.

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Tottenham Hotspur are to trigger a one-year option on Son Heung-min’s contract to commit his future to the club beyond the current season.

The Spurs and South Korea captain signed his latest deal in 2021 which expires in seven months’ time and it is understood that his club holds the power to extend for a further year.

Spurs only need to inform Son they have triggered their option and Telegraph Sport understands they fully intend to do so.

It means Son will head into a second decade at the club after joining from Bayer Leverkusen in 2015 in a deal worth £22 million, which has been rated as one of Spurs’ finest achievements in the transfer market in the modern era.

Ange Postecoglou appointed the 32-year-old captain at Spurs after Hugo Lloris’ departure, having played a huge part in the club emerging as Champions League regulars during his nine-and-a-half years at the club.

The forward has reached double figures for goals in all but his first season at the club, with his haul of 123 in the Premier League making him the joint-third top scorer currently playing in the competition. Only Mohamed Salah (164) and Jamie Vardy (140) have scored more.

Son was asked about his contract earlier this season and insisted he was focused on ending Spurs’ trophy drought, which dates back to 2008, rather than looking at a new deal.

While at the club, Son has reached the final of the Champions League and EFL Cup but has yet to win a trophy.

“I am fully focused on this year and just want to win something that everybody at the club – the players, all around – deserves,” he said. “That’s what I’m working for.

“In the future you never know what will happen, but I will give everything for this club because it’s been almost 10 years and I give everything.

“I still have a contract with the club which is the very important thing and I just want to give everything until my contract [expires].”

Spurs are lying in seventh place in the Premier League, with 16 points, nine behind leaders Liverpool, but just two points off fourth place.

Postecoglou’s side are also well-placed in the 36-team Europa League table, where they sit second on goal difference after three wins out of three, and have reached the EFL quarter-finals, with a home tie against Manchester United scheduled for next month.

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Ange Postecoglou believes the demise of Erik ten Hag shows why leading Tottenham to a trophy will not guarantee long-term success.

Ten Hag was sacked by Manchester United on Monday despite winning the Carabao Cup and FA Cup during his two-and-a-half years at Old Trafford.

Poor Premier League form and a lack of clear playing style ultimately contributed to Ten Hag being dismissed, but ahead of Spurs’ fourth-round Carabao Cup tie at home to Manchester City, Postecoglou conceded it was not a huge surprise.

“Nah, not really shocked. Disappointing as it was, it was almost inevitable with the scrutiny he had,” Postecoglou said.

“If you look at Erik, he was there for two and a bit years. He won a trophy in each year, they finished third in his first year. If he was here with that record would he have lost his job? I don’t know.

“Would he be under the same scrutiny? I don’t know, because everyone tells me all I have to do is win a trophy, but I have got a feeling it would be the same because, just the nature of the world today.

“As a manager you have to hit a sweet spot where you get success, you play football everyone likes, you get every signing right. In that moment you seem to get some sort of validation. Anything other than that, it seems to be for some clubs they want trophies not football, others want football. It is a difficult task.

“But what you have seen in the past, I’m sure Erik will bounce back from that because he is a good manager. You have seen it with other managers. I’m sure his career will continue to go on strongly.”

Ten Hag had the sympathy of managers around the Premier League a day after he was sacked, with most saying they could face the same fate any day in the results-driven business.

United have appointed their assistant manager and former striker Ruud van Nistelrooy to take over on an interim basis with the club languishing 14th in the Premier League after nine games and 21st in the Europa League table.

“I feel very sorry for him, it’s one of the best jobs in football,” Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said. “There’s only us, it’s not teachers or architects or something like that.

“I wish him all the best and he will come back stronger. If the results aren’t good enough, you get sacked. No one is different, myself included.”

Slot believes Ten Hag will manage another top club soon

Liverpool manager Arne Slot said that, as a fellow Dutchman, Ten Hag’s dismissal hit harder, but believes the coach will land on his feet.

“Always your first thoughts are with the person,” Slot said. “We are all in this job so we know that it can happen, but if it happens – especially because I know him a little bit and I know how much work he puts into it – to get this news for him is a pity.

“We also know, especially us from Holland how well he did at Ajax [Amsterdam] and he won two trophies over here, so we will see him in the near future again at a big club,” Slot added.

If Tottenham Hotspur dislike the term ‘Spursy’ so much, perhaps they should avoid performances such as this. Against a winless Crystal Palace who began the game as the lowest scorers in the top five professional divisions in the country, they were careless at the back and toothless at the front. And nothing much happened in between either.

Spurs were dismal for 45 minutes in the 3-2 defeat at Brighton but here they managed it for the entire 90. A win would have taken them into sixth place but they showed little will to achieve it. Palace were the side who played with ambition and if they had any sort of eye for goal their first Premier League victory of the season would have been far more emphatic.

As it was, Jean-Philippe Mateta scored the only goal of the match, his third of the season, as the players behind last season’s strong finish to the season – Eberechi Eze and Adam Wharton as well as Mateta – finally stepped up. That said, it was hard to judge whether they were back to their best or just taking advantage of feeble opposition.

Tottenham badly missed Son Heung-min, rested with a hamstring injury, and sent Mikey Moore, 17, out for his first Premier League start instead but he had few chances to shine as both teams scuffled ineffectively in a crowded midfield at first. For the first 20 minutes, the highlight was a long half-volleyed kick-out from Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson arrowed 60 yards to the feet of Tyrick Mitchell out on the left wing.

However, when Palace finally knocked at the visitors’ door, they found it wide open. In the 27th minute, Tottenham fell asleep after a corner kick and allowed substitute Will Hughes to cross unchallenged from the left. The ball reached the head of Maxence Lacroix but he sent it over the crossbar.

And the visiting defence erred again as Palace took the lead on the half hour. As they attempted to play out from the back, Micky van de Ven lost the ball, Ismaila Sarr crossed it, Eze flicked it on and Mateta drove it low past Guglielmo Vicario with the aid of a deflection.

Where, though, were Spurs as an attacking force? Henderson had been having such a quiet afternoon that he could afford to risk a stroll in the autumn sun to the centre circle and back as Tottenham defended a corner.

Brennan Johnson almost changed that with a shot that hit the post after 34 minutes. But it was not until the fifth minute of time added to the first half that they managed an effort on target and even then Henderson produced a fine diving save to his left to keep out James Maddison’s first time shot after Destiny Udogie had pulled the ball back from the byline.

Surely the visitors had to show more purpose in the second half? They did not. Spurs had to survive loud Palace claims for a penalty when Eze went down as Van de Ven challenged, although VAR did not invite referee Darren Bond to reconsider his award of a corner kick.

For a brief spell it seemed Palace must add to their goal, but both Sarr and Eze failed to make good chances count and you were reminded why they had scored only five goals before this. Wharton hit a cracking shot in the 82nd minute that deserved to double the lead, but Vicario got across to paw the ball away for a corner. Would Palace pay for missing chances? Not with Spurs in this mood.