Tottenham’ Bentancur loses appeal over seven-match ban

Tottenham Hotspur’s Rodrigo Bentancur will serve the remaining two matches of his seven-match ban after the Football Association rejected his appeal.

The Uruguay midfielder was handed the suspension in November for using a racial slur towards teammate Son Heung-min on television.

Spurs accepted the ruling but appealed the severity of the suspension.

However, the appeal was dismissed after a hearing, meaning Bentancur will miss upcoming matches against Manchester United in the Carabao Cup and Liverpool in the Premier League.

The former Juventus midfielder has been able to play in the Europa League during his ban, as it only applies to domestic competitions.

Anti-racism organizations Kick It Out and The Frank Soo Foundation reported receiving more complaints about Tottenham’s decision to appeal the ban than about the original incident itself.

In a joint statement, the groups expressed hope that Spurs would “reflect on its decision,” acknowledging that the situation has been “upsetting for many fans.”