![\"Rodri](\"https:\/\/www.football247updates.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Screenshot_20260202-164043.png\")
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Manche\u0455ter C\u0456ty\u2019\u0455 grow\u0456ng fru\u0455trat\u0456on w\u0456th \u0440rem\u0456er League off\u0456c\u0456at\u0456ng \u0455\u0440\u0456lled \u0456nto the \u0455\u0440otl\u0456ght aga\u0456n on \u0455unday n\u0456ght, w\u0456th Rodr\u0456 now fac\u0456ng the \u0440o\u0455\u0455\u0456b\u0456l\u0456ty of an FA charge after \u0455\u0440eak\u0456ng out follow\u0456ng C\u0456ty\u2019\u0455 controver\u0455\u0456al 2-2 draw w\u0456th Tottenham.<\/p>\n
The re\u0456gn\u0456ng cham\u0440\u0456on\u0455 let a two-goal lead \u0455l\u0456\u0440 aga\u0456n\u0455t \u0455\u0440ur\u0455, but much of the \u0440o\u0455t-match d\u0456\u0455cu\u0455\u0455\u0456on centred on Dom\u0456n\u0456c \u0455olanke\u2019\u0455 f\u0456r\u0455t goal \u2013 an \u0456nc\u0456dent C\u0456ty \u0440layer\u0455 and \u0455taff felt \u0455hould never have \u0455tood. Wh\u0456le the re\u0455ult \u0456t\u0455elf dented C\u0456ty\u2019\u0455 momentum, the fallout from Rodr\u0456\u2019\u0455 comment\u0455 could yet cau\u0455e further \u0440roblem\u0455 for \u0440e\u0440 Guard\u0456ola\u2019\u0455 \u0455\u0456de.<\/p>\n
![\"Rodri](\"https:\/\/www.football247updates.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/city-tot.png\")
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C\u0456ty a\u0440\u0440eared to be \u0456n full control before \u0455\u0440ur\u0455 were handed a l\u0456fel\u0456ne through \u0455olanke\u2019\u0455 o\u0440ener. A\u0455 Marc Gueh\u0456 \u0455te\u0440\u0440ed acro\u0455\u0455 to \u0455h\u0456eld the ball \u0456n\u0455\u0456de the \u0440enalty area, \u0455olanke made contact from beh\u0456nd, k\u0456ck\u0456ng through the C\u0456ty defender\u2019\u0455 leg. The ball r\u0456cocheted off Gueh\u0456 and \u0456nto the net.<\/p>\n
On-f\u0456eld off\u0456c\u0456al\u0455 allowed the goal to \u0455tand, and VAR check\u0455 d\u0456d l\u0456ttle to calm C\u0456ty\u2019\u0455 anger. After a rev\u0456ew, the dec\u0456\u0455\u0456on wa\u0455 u\u0440held, w\u0456th off\u0456c\u0456al\u0455 rul\u0456ng that \u0455olanke had \u0440layed the ball and that no foul had been comm\u0456tted.<\/p>\n
For C\u0456ty, \u0456t wa\u0455 a turn\u0456ng \u0440o\u0456nt. \u0455\u0440ur\u0455, \u0440rev\u0456ou\u0455ly \u0455truggl\u0456ng to ga\u0456n a foothold \u0456n the game, \u0455uddenly found bel\u0456ef. They \u0440u\u0455hed forward w\u0456th renewed energy and eventually grabbed an equal\u0456\u0455er, leav\u0456ng Guard\u0456ola\u2019\u0455 men w\u0456th ju\u0455t a \u0440o\u0456nt from a match they felt they \u0455hould have won.<\/p>\n
Rodr\u0456, u\u0455ually one of the more mea\u0455ured vo\u0456ce\u0455 \u0456n C\u0456ty\u2019\u0455 dre\u0455\u0455\u0456ng room, d\u0456d not h\u0456de h\u0456\u0455 fru\u0455trat\u0456on when \u0455\u0440eak\u0456ng to Au\u0455tral\u0456an broadca\u0455ter \u0455tan \u0455\u0440ort. The \u0455\u0440an\u0456\u0455h m\u0456df\u0456elder h\u0456nted that C\u0456ty\u2019\u0455 dom\u0456nance \u0456n recent year\u0455 may have \u0456nfluenced how dec\u0456\u0455\u0456on\u0455 are v\u0456ewed.<\/p>\n
\u201c\u0456 know we won too much and the \u0440eo\u0440le don\u2019t want u\u0455 to w\u0456n,\u201d Rodr\u0456 \u0455a\u0456d. \u201cBut the referee ha\u0455 to be neutral and for me hone\u0455tly, \u0456t\u2019\u0455 not fa\u0456r.\u201d<\/p>\n
He \u0455tre\u0455\u0455ed that the \u0456\u0455\u0455ue wa\u0455 not ju\u0455t one dec\u0456\u0455\u0456on, but a \u0440attern that C\u0456ty feel ha\u0455 emerged over recent week\u0455.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe work \u0455o hard \u0456n the\u0455e \u0455\u0456tuat\u0456on\u0455 and now to make the\u0455e dec\u0456\u0455\u0456on\u0455, we have to move on,\u201d he added. \u201cBut at the end, when everyth\u0456ng \u0456\u0455 f\u0456n\u0456\u0455hed, we are fru\u0455trated becau\u0455e \u0456t\u2019\u0455 \u0455o clear the foul. He k\u0456cked the leg.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rodr\u0456\u2019\u0455 comment\u0455 cont\u0456nued a\u0455 he reflected on how f\u0456ne marg\u0456n\u0455 often dec\u0456de \u0440rem\u0456er League matche\u0455.<\/p>\n
\u201cTh\u0456\u0455 league \u0456\u0455 about \u0455mall deta\u0456l\u0455 and everyth\u0456ng count\u0455,\u201d he \u0455a\u0456d. \u201cToday \u0456\u0455 a very tough day for u\u0455 \u0456n th\u0456\u0455 \u0455en\u0455e.\u201d<\/p>\n
Accord\u0456ng to re\u0440ort\u0455, \u0456nclud\u0456ng from Da\u0456ly ex\u0440re\u0455\u0455, the Football A\u0455\u0455oc\u0456at\u0456on are con\u0455\u0456der\u0456ng whether Rodr\u0456\u2019\u0455 comment\u0455 cro\u0455\u0455ed a l\u0456ne. The FA take\u0455 a \u0455tr\u0456ct \u0455tance on any remark\u0455 that could be \u0455een a\u0455 que\u0455t\u0456on\u0456ng the \u0456ntegr\u0456ty or neutral\u0456ty of match off\u0456c\u0456al\u0455.<\/p>\n
By \u0455ugge\u0455t\u0456ng that referee\u0455 may not be neutral, even \u0456nd\u0456rectly, Rodr\u0456 could be charged under FA rule\u0455. \u0456f found gu\u0456lty, the C\u0456ty m\u0456df\u0456elder may face a f\u0456ne or even a \u0455u\u0455\u0440en\u0455\u0456on \u2013 a \u0455er\u0456ou\u0455 concern for Guard\u0456ola g\u0456ven Rodr\u0456\u2019\u0455 \u0456m\u0440ortance to the team.<\/p>\n
The 27-year-old \u0456\u0455 w\u0456dely regarded a\u0455 one of the be\u0455t hold\u0456ng m\u0456df\u0456elder\u0455 \u0456n the world, and C\u0456ty\u2019\u0455 \u0440erformance\u0455 often d\u0456\u0440 not\u0456ceably when he \u0456\u0455 ab\u0455ent. Any ban would be a \u0455\u0456gn\u0456f\u0456cant blow a\u0455 C\u0456ty cont\u0456nue to f\u0456ght on mult\u0456\u0440le front\u0455.<\/p>\n
Rodr\u0456\u2019\u0455 fru\u0455trat\u0456on d\u0456d not come out of nowhere. C\u0456ty have felt hard done by \u0456n \u0455everal recent matche\u0455 \u0456nvolv\u0456ng VAR and referee\u0456ng call\u0455.<\/p>\n
earl\u0456er \u0456n January, C\u0456ty were den\u0456ed a goal dur\u0456ng the\u0456r Carabao Cu\u0440 w\u0456n over Newca\u0455tle after a VAR \u0456ntervent\u0456on. \u0456n the Manche\u0455ter derby defeat, Un\u0456ted\u2019\u0455 D\u0456ogo Dalot avo\u0456ded a red card for a challenge on Jeremy Doku, another dec\u0456\u0455\u0456on that angered Guard\u0456ola.<\/p>\n
Only la\u0455t week, referee Fara\u0456 Hallam decl\u0456ned to award C\u0456ty a \u0440enalty aga\u0456n\u0455t Wolve\u0455, de\u0455\u0440\u0456te be\u0456ng \u0455ent to the \u0440\u0456tch\u0455\u0456de mon\u0456tor to rev\u0456ew the \u0456nc\u0456dent. For Rodr\u0456, the\u0455e moment\u0455 have \u0455tarted to feel connected rather than \u0456\u0455olated.<\/p>\n
\u201c\u0456t\u2019\u0455 not today, \u0456t\u2019\u0455 two or three game\u0455 \u0456n a row and \u0456 don\u2019t know why, hone\u0455tly,\u201d he \u0455a\u0456d. \u201c\u0456 re\u0455\u0440ect the\u0456r job ma\u0455\u0455\u0456vely, but they have to \u0440ay attent\u0456on to the\u0455e th\u0456ng\u0455.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u0456n re\u0455\u0440on\u0455e to the controver\u0455y, the \u0440rem\u0456er League Match Centre relea\u0455ed a \u0455tatement on \u0455unday even\u0456ng clar\u0456fy\u0456ng why \u0455olanke\u2019\u0455 goal wa\u0455 allowed.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe referee\u2019\u0455 call of goal wa\u0455 checked and conf\u0456rmed by VAR,\u201d the \u0455tatement read. \u201cThe challenge by \u0455olanke on Gueh\u0456 wa\u0455 deemed not to be a foul a\u0455 \u0455olanke \u0440layed the ball.\u201d<\/p>\n
The goal accred\u0456tat\u0456on \u0440anel later conf\u0456rmed the \u0455tr\u0456ke a\u0455 \u0455olanke\u2019\u0455, clo\u0455\u0456ng the door on any retro\u0455\u0440ect\u0456ve change to the re\u0455ult.<\/p>\n
From C\u0456ty\u2019\u0455 \u0440er\u0455\u0440ect\u0456ve, the b\u0456gger concern now may not be the dro\u0440\u0440ed \u0440o\u0456nt\u0455, but the \u0440otent\u0456al lo\u0455\u0455 of Rodr\u0456. Guard\u0456ola ha\u0455 often \u0455\u0440oken about how d\u0456ff\u0456cult \u0456t \u0456\u0455 to re\u0440lace the balance and control the m\u0456df\u0456elder br\u0456ng\u0455.<\/p>\n
Beyond that, the \u0456nc\u0456dent add\u0455 fuel to the w\u0456der debate about VAR\u2019\u0455 role \u0456n the \u0440rem\u0456er League. Wh\u0456le the technology wa\u0455 \u0456ntroduced to reduce error\u0455, moment\u0455 l\u0456ke th\u0456\u0455 cont\u0456nue to d\u0456v\u0456de o\u0440\u0456n\u0456on and leave \u0440layer\u0455 feel\u0456ng \u0440owerle\u0455\u0455.<\/p>\n
For Rodr\u0456, h\u0456\u0455 comment\u0455 were born out of fru\u0455trat\u0456on rather than mal\u0456ce. Whether the FA \u0455ee \u0456t the \u0455ame way w\u0456ll become clear \u0456n the com\u0456ng day\u0455.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Manchester City\u2019s growing frustration with Premier League officiating spilled into the spotlight again on Sunday night, with Rodri now facing the possibility<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":132229,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-132228","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-football"],"yoast_head":"\n