{
  "id": 13701639,
  "title": "EPL: Why I kissed Bentancur after red card against Man United — Tottenham coach",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/11/epl-why-i-kissed-bentancur-after-red-card-against-man-united",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-11T11:26:19.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch Nigeria",
    "slug": "punch-nigeria",
    "url": "https://punchng.com/epl-why-i-kissed-bentancur-after-red-card-against-man-united-tottenham-coach/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Tottenham coach Roberto De Zerbi has revealed that he kissed midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur in the dressing room following the 1-1 draw against Manchester United. The kiss was meant to demonstrate the club's need for \"character.\" Bentancur was substituted in the 66th minute, replacing Lucas Bergvall, but his time on the pitch ended only 12 minutes later when he was given a red card for headbutting Luke Shaw. De Zerbi criticized the red card and praised Tottenham's display, stating that they showed team spirit and dominance throughout the game. Despite conceding a goal, the team reacted positively, winning the match 2-1 thanks to a header from Dominic Solanke, who also scored a potential hat-trick before being substituted. De Zerbi emphasized the importance of character in football, noting that the team needed to demonstrate this in the face of adversity.",
  "summary": "Tottenham coach Roberto De Zerbi explains why he kissed Rodrigo Bentancur after his red card in the 1-1 draw against Manchester United on Saturday. Read More: https://punchng.com/epl-why-i-kissed-bentancur-after-red-card-against-man-united-tottenham-coach/",
  "key_points": [
    "Roberto De Zerbi kissed Rodrigo Bentancur in dressing room.",
    "Bentancur red carded for headbutting Luke Shaw.",
    "Tottenham won 2-1 with Dominic Solanke's goal."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Punch",
        "title": "EPL: Why I kissed Bentancur after red card against Man United — Tottenham coach",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/11/epl-why-i-kissed-bentancur-after-red-card-against-man-united-13703715",
        "published": "2026-10-11T11:38:19.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}