Manchester City, the Premier League champions, have been fined £120,000 ($150,000) following an incident where players, including star striker Erling Haaland, surrounded the referee after a controversial no-call during a 3-3 draw against Tottenham.
The incident took place in stoppage time on December 3 at Etihad Stadium when referee Simon Hooper chose not to play advantage after Haaland was fouled by Spurs’ Emerson Royal, interrupting a potential Manchester City attack.
The Football Association stated on Monday, “Haaland and teammates surrounded the ref because he failed to play advantage for a potential scoring chance.”
Video footage showed Haaland visibly upset immediately after the whistle, and his complaints continued post-match. Despite his conduct, the Norwegian striker did not face additional punishment.
The fine of £120,000 was imposed after an independent hearing. The Football Association mentioned, “Manchester City FC have been fined £120,000 after their players surrounded a match official at the Premier League game against Tottenham. An independent regulatory commission imposed this sanction following a hearing.”
While Manchester City expressed frustration with the pivotal call, manager Pep Guardiola refrained from publicly criticizing the referee after the match. However, the club was found to have breached expectations for proper conduct.
Despite the controversy, Manchester City will continue their quest to defend the Premier League title amid stiff competition at the top of the table.
