Premier League Breaks Silence on Controversial Rodrigo Bentancur Red Card Decision Against Chelsea

Tottenham Hotspur's central midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur was judged to have escaped "serious foul play" after making a heavy challenge on Reece James's ankle during a heated Premier League London derby on Saturday night.

Bentancur, along with Tottenham's entire midfield unit, had found it difficult to keep up with the intensity of an opening period that Chelsea controlled. The one-way affair had entered additional time with the home side ahead through a solitary João Pedro strike when this historic rivalry finally showed its first hint of controversy.

James reached the loose ball first but was met with a full boot to his ankle as his reward. Match official Jarred Gillett, overseeing this notoriously volatile encounter for the first time, took a moment to consider his decision. Following consultation with the Video Assistant Referee at Stockley Park, Gillett produced a yellow card instead of red. To James's clear displeasure, his Chelsea colleague Trevoh Chalobah also received a caution for protesting the official's call.

During the subsequent half-time break, the Premier League's official match centre clarified that: "The referee's decision of yellow card to Bentancur was reviewed and upheld by VAR—with the tackle judged to be a reckless challenge rather than serious foul play."

Law 12 in the FA Handbook outlines the nuanced distinctions in its classification of "reckless" tackles versus "serious foul play."

Response to Bentancur's Red Card Escape

Sky Sports analyst Jamie Carragher was swift to downplay the incident. The ex-Liverpool center-back, familiar with aggressive challenges from his own playing career, contended that Bentancur's contact wasn't high enough on James's leg to merit a dismissal.

The prevailing sentiment across social media platforms was far less lenient.

Sometimes I genuinely do not understand the thought process behind some of Bentancur's actions.

How is Bentancur not sent off?

I get its a derby, but those challanges should be red regardless imo

I can't believe Bentancur hasn't got a red card there