Fulham manager Álvaro Arbeloa has been fined £25,000 and warned by the Football Association after his criticism of refereeing in the aftermath of the club’s Premier League meeting with Manchester United.
Why it landed this week
- Fulham
- Manchester United
- Manchester City
The punishment follows comments made after Fulham’s match against United on Sunday 20 September, when Arbeloa argued that the decisions had all gone in the visitors’ favour.
“Every decision benefited them,” he said. “After the Manchester City game, I knew they do not like Manchester United losing.”
The FA ruled that the Fulham manager had behaved improperly in a post-match interview by making remarks which suggested bias and/or questioned an official’s integrity.
Arbeloa admitted the charge. An independent Regulatory Commission then imposed the £25,000 fine, along with a formal warning, following a hearing.
It is the first Premier League sanction for Arbeloa, who was previously in charge at Real Madrid. The written reasons for the commission’s decision have also been made available by the FA.
