August 29 – Conmebol has banned several key Uruguayan internationals as a result of the debacle that marred the Copa America semi-final against Colombia in July.
Liverpool striker Darwin Núñez will be out for five Uruguay fixtures, while Tottenham midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur was banned for four matches.
Napoli defender Mathias Olivera, Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo, and Atletico Madrid defender Jose Maria Gimenez, 29, have all received three-game bans.
Conmebol had opened an investigation into the “unacceptable” scenes following Uruguay’s 1-0 defeat at the Bank of America Stadium in North Carolina.
The incident broke out in a section of the stadium where many family members of the Uruguay players were seated. Nunez, 25, was seen physically confronting Colombia fans in the stands after the final whistle.
“There was no police and we had to defend our families,” Gimenez insisted at the time. “This is the fault of two or three people who had a few too many drinks and don’t know how to drink.”
“Colombian fans in a certain section descended on all our families. Our families were in danger. We had to rush into the stands to remove our loved ones with tiny newborn babies.”
The bans are a huge blow to Uruguay boss Marcelo Bielsa, whose side are involved in several qualifying matches in September and October for the 2026 World Cup.
Bielsa said at the time his players deserved an apology from Colombia fans for the brawl that broke out.
Asked if he feared sanctions for his team, Bielsa said at the time: “The sanction does not have to be for the footballers but for those who forced them to act like this. This is a witch hunt. It is a shame.”
“The only thing I can say is that the players reacted as any human being would have done. If they are attacking his wife, his mother, a baby, his wife, his sister … What do you do?
“Do you ask if they are going to sanction those who went to defend? There is a degree of complicity, because the questions also act in a complicit manner.”
Uruguay’s next games in World Cup qualifying will be as host to Paraguay on Sept. 6 and four days later away to Venezuela. Núñez will also miss the matches against Peru and Ecuador in October and the home game with Colombia in November.
Núñez will also pay a fine of $20,000, Bentancur $16,000 and Olivera, Araujo and Giménez $12,000 each. Seven other Uruguay players will also pay a fine of $5,000 apiece.
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Publish date : 2024-08-28 22:21:00
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