April 19, (THEWILL) – English Premier League teams, Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton and Hove Albion, have been handed a £100,000 fine each, following a touchline altercation that occurred during their recent match.
The incident took place during the 58th minute of Spurs’ 2-1 victory over Brighton, which saw both team managers – Cristian Stellini and Roberto De Zerbi – being sent off the field.
Tempers had been rising throughout the game, with Brighton’s two goals and penalty claim being denied after VAR checks. The FA charged both clubs with a “mass confrontation,” leading to the fines being imposed. In post-match comments, Stellini stated that he tries to stay focused on the game, while De Zerbi emphasised the importance of mutual respect.
However, it is worth querying the FA about what penalties were handed down to the match officials who made errors during the game. Despite the VAR system, some decisions were still controversial, leading to frustration and anger from Brighton and an apology from the Professional Game Match Officials Limited.
How that PGMOL apology stands in the face of a £100k fine against the club that was cheated by the errors in officiating and in the face of crucial dropped points flies in the face of justice. Indeed, the Brighton manager was protesting the officiating and by the PGMOL admission, they failed to do the right thing and merited the manager’s reaction. It is only fair for that to be taken into consideration as well.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
