Tottenham Hotspur have appealed against the seven-game domestic ban handed out to midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur.
The suspension was handed down by the FA on Monday for remarks that Bentancur made about his teammate Son Heung-min and South Koreans in general.
Speaking on Uruguayan TV, Bentancur's stereotypical remark about Korean people relating to a question about Son went viral over the summer.
Bentancur denied any malice behind the remarks, claiming that he and Son are very close friends, but following a lengthy investigation, the FA decided on a seven-game ban.
The fact that the remarks were made on live TV, as opposed to on social media for example, are believed to have led to a more severe punishment for the Spurs midfielder.
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Spurs appeal Bentancur ban
After Bentancur initially denied the charge, today, Spurs have confirmed that they will appeal the decision, claiming that it is overly harsh.
In a statement, the club said: "While we accept the guilty finding against Rodrigo by the independent regulatory commission, we believe the subsequent sanction is severe.
"Rodrigo will remain suspended from domestic competitions while the appeal is heard and the Club will make no further comment during this time."
Spurs defender Ben Davies told the press while on Wales duty this week that the issue had been sorted in-house, further adding to the surprise of the lengthy ban.
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What games will Bentancur miss?
Bentancur was on Uruguay duty when the suspension was handed down, and played in the 1-1 draw away to Brazil in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
Playing so late in the week, far away from home, means the midfielder would have been a slight doubt for the trip to Manchester City on Saturday, with jet lag and fatigue likely to have played a factor.
Bentancur will then be available to face Roma in the Europa League next midweek, with the ban only applying to domestic fixtures, so the 27-year-old will also be available to face Rangers on matchday six on December 12.
However, if the appeal is unsuccessful, manager Ange Postecoglou will be without the player for the league games against Fulham, Bournemouth, Chelsea, Southampton and Liverpool before Christmas, as well as the EFL Cup quarter-final against Manchester United.
Andrew Delaney
