The Football Association has charged Manchester City after their heated confrontation with referee Simon Hooper during their exciting 3-3 match against Tottenham on Sunday.
The team that won the Premier League title has been accused of not managing their players properly when a confrontation occurred after Hooper’s choice to not give City a potentially critical advantage in the last moments of the game. Erling Haaland, who was the most vocal in protesting and was seen yelling at Hooper from a close distance, will not face individual charges for his actions, including a tweet posted right after the match.
In the 95th minute of the second half, there was a contentious decision made by Hooper. Haaland was tripped by Yves Bissouma, but managed to get up and pass the ball to Jack Grealish, who had a clear path to the goal due to Hooper’s apparent indication that City could continue play. However, the referee ultimately blew the whistle and brought the game back to the initial foul.
Haaland quickly approached the referee and was accompanied by several other players from City. After the game, the Norwegian angrily exited the field and shared a video of the incident on his social media account with the caption: “What the f***.”
The FA accused City on Monday for violating rule E20.1, which states that a team must make sure its players do not act in a manner that is inappropriate, offensive, aggressive, threatening, abusive, obscene, insulting, or inciting. The club has until Thursday to contest the accusation.
Haaland was not punished by the FA for his use of social media, as their regulations permit players to criticize match officials’ performance or competence after a game. Charges can only be brought if the criticism suggests bias or attacks the official’s integrity. Haaland’s “Wtf” was deemed to not meet these criteria.
Recent developments have sparked worry about the way referees are treated in men’s soccer, from high-level Premier League matches to local, grassroots games. As reported, the International Football Association Board (IFAB) plans to implement sin-bins as a penalty for players who show disrespect towards officials. Additionally, the IFAB emphasizes the importance of enforcing the Laws of the Game more strictly when it comes to player and coach behavior, as well as handling large conflicts on the field.
In February, an independent panel imposed a fine of £75,000 on City for their players’ lack of control during a Premier League match against Arsenal in the same month.
Source: theguardian.com
