Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou has come out in support of midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur, who was recently hit with a seven-match ban by the Football Association for using racist language.
The sanction, which Spurs have appealed against as “severe”, is just one match more than the standard minimum for misconduct involving discriminatory behaviour or language.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Postecoglou said: “We will work with Rodrigo through that (period of suspension) and make sure within that time he has all our support in all the right ways so when he is available again he’s ready to go.
“I haven’t spoken to him since it came out. He’s been away with Uruguay and he’s not quite back yet. I’d spoken to him in the lead-up to it.
“As I said at the time, he understands he has made a mistake, he’s prepared to accept whatever penalty comes his way and we as a club are going to support him.
“The one thing that’s undeniable to me, because I know him, is he’s an outstanding person. He’s an unbelievable team-mate.
“He’s a person of the upmost character that has made a mistake. I think when that happens our role is to support him in any way we can.”
Bentancur had previously issued an apology to Son Heung-min on Instagram following the controversial comments made during a TV interview in Uruguay last June.
During an interview, Bentancur was asked to showcase a Spurs teammate’s shirt and responded with the remark: “Sonny’s? It could be Sonny’s cousin too as they all look the same.”
Son accepted Bentancur’s subsequent apology on social media, sharing, “Lolo would not mean to ever intentionally say something offensive. We are brothers and nothing has changed at all.
“We’re past this, we’re united and we will be back together in pre-season to fight for our club as one.”
Content Source: www.express.co.uk