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Spain midfielder Gavi surprisingly advocated for Argentina’s Leandro Paredes to avoid a suspension for the role he played in the heated confrontation between the World Cup finalists at MetLife Stadium.
Nearly as soon as the final whistle crowned La Roja the new world champion on Sunday, a brawl broke out under the blaring sun in East Rutherford, N.J., souring Spain’s short-lived celebrations. Paredes was at the center of the confrontation, going after Eric García and then Gavi, who was previously thrown to the ground by Thiago Almada.
Nahuel Molina and Argentina assistant manager Roberto Ayala were also involved in the fight that continued to escalate until Lionel Scaloni and several other Albiceleste coaching staff members stepped in.
FIFA appointed a Disciplinary and Ethics Prosecutor to investigate the incident and determine what punishment—if any—is handed to the players or the Argentinian Football Association (AFA). Gavi, though, thinks the altercation does not warrant a harsh sentence for Paredes.
“I don’t think [Paredes] should be suspended,”Gavi told COPE. “I understand it’s not a good image for children, but I think there’s also that side to football, which is a bit more physical, more aggressive.
“The most logical thing would have been to send him off during the match, and that’s it. In the end, I think it’s all football, and it has to be that way.”
Initial reports indicated that Paredes was indeed sent off after the finish whistle, but FIFA confirmed to BBC Sport that the midfielder did not receive a red card and no disciplinary action was taken by referee Slavko Vinčić at the time.
A Swift Verdict Would Work in Argentina’s Favor
The good news for Argentina is that there are no competitive matches on the slate for CONMEBOL sides in the near future. The next international window, which has been extended to consolidate the September and October breaks into one, kicks off on Sept. 21 and runs until Oct. 6.
Teams will play four matches during the period, but for Argentina, those matches will likely be just international friendlies. Losing Paredes or any other players to a possible ban is not the end of the world considering the matches are not competitive.
Except there is no guarantee potential bans from FIFA come in time for the next international break. The longer it takes for the Disciplinary and Ethics Prosecutor to reach a verdict, the more danger Argentina could be in, especially if any rulings impact eventual 2028 Copa América qualifiers or 2030 World Cup qualifiers.
La Albiceleste will hope to escape with just a fine, much like it did in the aftermath of the 2022 World Cup, when it was forced to pay more than $24,500 for “offensive behavior and violations of the principles of fair play.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as ‘Aggressive’—Gavi Gives Verdict on Argentina Suspensions After World Cup Final Brawl.
