Tottenham head coach Juande Ramos will leave it to club officials to decide if Dimitar Berbatov should be fined for not being in the right frame of mind to feature in the defeat to Sunderland.
Berbatov handed in a transfer request just over a week ago and met with Ramos on Thursday on his return from international duty with Bulgaria, and it was decided he would not face Roy Keane's men in the Barclays Premier League clash at White Hart Lane.
The 27-year-old will meet Ramos again on Sunday and could also face punishment from his club.
"That is a decision the club has to make," Ramos said. "That is a very interesting question you should ask the club."
Berbatov's absence left Spurs with Darren Bent leading their attack, and they suffered defeat courtesy of Djibril Cisse's 83rd-minute winner.
Kieran Richardson had given the visitors a 55th-minute the lead before Jermaine Jenas levelled in the 73rd minute.
Predictably, Berbatov's absence took most of the attention.
Ramos had issued a statement before the game explaining: "He didn't play because he wasn't in the right condition, this is what he told me before the game when I spoke to him. So he did not play.
"We'll have to wait and see, tomorrow (Sunday) we'll speak to the player and then we'll make a decision (on his future).
"It's a situation that is very personal, there are players able to play under these circumstances and others whose head is not right. Berbatov is in the latter category.
"We'll have a meeting with the player and clarify a few points and see if there is a decision to be made.
"We'll meet primarily to know if he is in any state to play in the next match or we have to find another solution."
Ramos argued that Berbatov, despite what some may see as effectively going on strike, does not hold more power than the club.
"He hasn't got any power, if he is no condition to play the game he in not going to play, that is the same as any other player."
Sunderland boss Roy Keane refused to get carried away with the victory, insisting: "We won't be dancing in the streets in Sunderland for beating Tottenham away from home, we'll have a cup of tea and sandwich as normal.
"We fancy our chances and we're happy with the progress we're making. Players showed the other side to them.
"The character of the players is there for everyone to see. We have that and you can criticise in other areas but not character.
"When you've won the game you say Berbatov's a talented boy but (Darren) Bent is also a good player."
Cisse headed home seven minutes from time to score the winner on his club debut after signing on loan from Marseille this week.
Keane added: "Someone told me he scored on his debut for Liverpool but I couldn't careless what he did in the past.
"It's a good start. Djibril only trained with us yesterday and he was always going to be on the bench, he gives us good options if things aren't going our way."
