Spurs Fail With Appeal To Have Bentancur's Seven-Game Ban Reduced

Last month, the Uruguay international was handed the severe ban and fined £100,000 by the Football Association for the offense.

Bentancur has already served five games of the ban and will now also miss upcoming matches against Manchester United in the Carabao Cup and Liverpool in the Premier League.

A statement from the FA said: "An independent appeal board has dismissed an appeal by Rodrigo Bentancur in relation to his recent suspension.

"An independent regulatory commission imposed a seven-match suspension on the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder for an aggravated breach of FA Rule E3 in relation to a media interview.

"This appeal was dismissed following a hearing and the seven-match suspension remains as ordered by the regulatory commission."

Bentancur committed the offense during a TV interview in his native Uruguay back in June.

Bentancur was charged by the FA on September 12 with an alleged misconduct breach in relation to a media interview, which emerged in June and showed Bentancur being asked by the host of Canal 10 to show the shirt of a Spurs player.

Former Juventus player Bentancur replied: "Sonny's? It could be Sonny's cousin too as they all look the same."

Bentancur swiftly issued an apology but the FA saw the need to issue him with a lengthy ban.