Chelsea star Enzo Fernandez was proven a straight pink card as tempers boiled over throughout a 1-1 draw between Argentina and Colombia in a World Cup qualifier on Tuesday evening.
World champions Argentina trailed to a surprising Luis Diaz strike within the first half of the match on the Estadio Monumental.
As Lionel Scaloni’s facet tried to get again into the match within the second half, Fernandez was proven his marching orders following a horror problem on Kevin Castano.
The midfielder raised his foot when competing for a excessive ball, however solely succeeded in planting his boot into Castano’s face, after the Colombian had headed the ball away.
As Castano dropped to the pitch following the problem, gamers from either side raced to the incident.
Fernandez was finally dismissed for the problem by referee Juan Gabriel Benitez, with the incident resulting in tensions rising even additional.
Enzo Fernandez was despatched off following a excessive problem on Colombia’s Kevin Castano
Castano went to floor following the problem as Fernandez raised his arm in apology
The Argentina star was despatched off by the referee whereas gamers from each groups clashed
Argentina captain Lionel Messi was caught in a heated trade with Colombian star James Rodriquez within the aftermath of the incident.
TyC Sports, an Argentinian outlet, reported that Messi had confronted Rodriquez over feedback he made concerning the 2024 Copa America remaining.
Rodriquez final month claimed Colombia had misplaced the ultimate to Argentine resulting from ‘exterior components’, including that the referee had not given them ‘one or two penalties’ within the showpiece.
‘You stated they helped us within the remaining, you speak rather a lot,’ Messi reportedly informed Rodriquez on the pitch, resulting in the Colombian replying ‘I did not say something.’
Rodriquez declined to remark additional on the incident post-match, stating ‘What stays on the sector, stays on the sector.’
Messi was finally introduced off within the closing levels of the match, together with his substitute Exequiel Palacios organising a 81st minute equaliser by Thiago Almada.
Tensions continued after the match completed in a 1-1 draw, with veteran Argentina centre again Nicolas Otamendi concerned in a spat with Richard Rios.
Otamendi reportedly approached the Colombian midfielder and stated ‘Take off your headband, you clown’, in keeping with TyC Sports activities.
Lionel Messi was concerned in a heated trade with Colombian star James Rodriquez
The Colombian captain appeared shocked following the trade with Messi
Messi had blamed referee Juan Benitez for the heated nature of the World Cup qualifier
Rios was reported to have responded ‘You are previous. Shut the f*** up, fool. You are previous, you possibly can’t even run’ to the 37-year-old.
Otamendi had additionally been concerned in a confrontation with midfielder Jefferson Lerma in the course of the match.
Each Messi and Otamendi blamed referee Benitez for the heated nature of the match.
Footage confirmed Messi approaching the official after the ultimate whistle and declaring ‘That is your fault You’re the one who prompted all this, you’re the one who prompted all this, with the selections you made.’
‘You’re the one who sparked the whole lot that occurred.’
Otamendi echoed Messi’s feedback to Argentinian tv, claiming the referee had ‘referred to as the whole lot for them’.
‘One thing related occurred to us with Brazil, they spoke earlier than the match, and the place we really feel most comfy is on the pitch, the place we present the group we’re and the hierarchy we’ve,’ Otamendi stated.
‘It created a tricky recreation that affected us as a result of in each divided, each dispute, the referee referred to as the whole lot for them.
Nicolas Otamendi, proper, was concerned in a confrontation with Colombia’s Richard Rios
Otamendi reportedly labelled Rios ‘a clown’ whereas the Colombian declared his rival was ‘previous’
The veteran Argentina defender had additionally clashed with Jefferson Lerma in the course of the qualifier
Luis Diaz had opened the scoring for Colombian with a solo effort within the first half of the match
Thiago Almada levelled for Argentina within the closing levels regardless of being decreased to 10-men
‘What we’ve to do is play soccer, present on the sector the group we’re and maintain including.
‘There are a lot of younger people who find themselves profiting from the alternatives and that’s the Argentine nationwide group.’
Argentina have already sealed their place at subsequent 12 months’s World Cup with the holders 10 factors clear on the prime of South American qualifying.
Colombia stay sixth within the standings, the final computerized berth, however have a 4 level lead over Venezuela with two rounds of fixtures remaining.
